Lookman and Banda named African players of the year ⋆ RGG News

Ademola Lookman in blue and black Atalanta shirt raises both arms with clenched fists as if in preparation to punch the air in celebration — Ademola Lookman has enjoyed a stellar year which included a hat-trick in the Europa League final

Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman has been crowned the 2024 African Footballer of the Year at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Awards in Marrakesh.

NPP, Other Parties Notify Police On Protest Against Removal of Chief Justice

Pope Francis Dies at 88 After Decade-Long Pontificate

The Atalanta forward saw off competition from Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.

Lookman is the second consecutive Nigerian to claim the award after Victor Osimhen in 2023.

Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda made history as the first Zambian to win the women’s prize, finishing ahead of Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.

The winners are voted for by a panel of experts which includes members of Caf’s technical committee plus African media professionals, players and coaches.

Lookman’s standout year

Lookman, 27, was hot favourite to pick up the award for the first time in his career after an impressive 2023-24 season.

He played a key role in helping his Italian club win the first European trophy in their history with a memorable hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen – making him the sixth player to score a treble in a European club final and the first since 1975.

On the international scene, Lookman was named in the team of the tournament at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, scoring three goals as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up to the hosts in February.

The former Everton, Fulham and Leicester City player was also the only African on this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th.

Lookman has again proved instrumental for Atalanta this season, scoring eight goals in Serie A to help his team go top of the table.

Banda’s back-to-back awards

Barbra Banda holds the NWSL trophy in gloved hands as team-mates gather around her to celebrate Orlando Pride winning the NWSL Championship final — Image caption,
Barbra Banda (left) scored the decisive goal as Orlando Pride won November’s NWSL Championship final 1-0 against Washington Spirit

Banda’s success comes less than a month after she was voted the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

The 24-year-old was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) as she fired her team Orlando Pride to a first title.

The striker’s 17 goals resulted in her finishing second in the scoring charts – behind only Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga – with her most crucial strike coming in the Championship final as Pride beat Washington Spirit 1-0.

Banda was also in fine form for her country at the Paris Olympics, scoring four goals for Zambia’s Copper Queens, including a first-half hat-trick against Australia.

Her 10 goals spread across two Games have made her the leading African scorer in Olympic history.

Glittering line-up

To celebrate the continent’s top footballing performances over the past year, Caf put on a show of its own with a host of top African artists taking to the stage.

Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz and Moroccan singer Dystinct led the entertainment on a night when Cameroon’s President Paul Biya was given an outstanding achievement award.

It was presented on stage by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who also congratulated Morocco after the nation was confirmed as co-hosts for the 2030 World Cup last week.

It was a good night for South Africa captain Williams, who – despite missing out on the main men’s award – walked off with two trophies. The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper was named the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year.

On a star-studded night in Marrakesh, it was also revealed who made the Caf/Fifpro men’s, external and women’s, external Best XI line-ups.