Atalanta midfielder Ademola Lookman has been crowned African Footballer of the Year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Monday during a handover ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.
Lookman beat out stiff competition from a shortlist including Simon Adingra (winger for Brighton & Hove Albion and the Cote d'Ivoire national team), Serhou Guirassy (striker for Borussia Dortmund and the Guinea national team), Achraf Hakimi (right-back or right-winger for Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team) and Ronwen Williams (goalkeeper for Mamelodi Sundowns and captains of the South Africa national team).
The 27-year-old Nigerian played a pivotal role in Atalanta's Europa League victory, notably scoring a hat-trick in the final.
"First, I want to thank Almighty God for all the blessings in my life. I also want to express my gratitude to the president and all my teammates, both at club and national levels, for their unwavering support. This award is a blessing for me, my family, and my country, and being recognized as Africa's best player is truly incredible. I am extremely proud," Lookman said at the ceremony.
Cote d'Ivoire's Emerse Faé was named Best Coach after leading his nation to victory in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.