Ademola Lookman and Barbra Banda Crowned African Footballers of the Year

Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman was recognized as the 2024 African Footballer of the Year during the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Awards ceremony held in Marrakesh. His exceptional year featured a hat-trick in the Europa League final. The Atalanta player triumphed over a field of contenders, including Simon Adingra from Ivory Coast, Serhou Guirassy of Guinea, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams from South Africa. Lookman’s win marks the second consecutive year a Nigerian player has received this accolade, following Victor Osimhen’s victory in 2023. In the women’s category, Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first Zambian to secure the award. She surpassed Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie. A panel of experts determines the winners, comprising members of Caf’s technical committee, along with African media professionals, active players, and coaches. The 27-year-old Lookman was widely considered the frontrunner for his inaugural award, following an outstanding 2023-24 season. He was instrumental in his Italian club’s achievement of their first-ever European trophy, notably scoring a hat-trick in the final match against Bayer Leverkusen. This feat positioned him as only the sixth player to net a treble in a European club final and the first since 1975. Internationally, Lookman earned a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations team of the tournament in Ivory Coast, where he scored three goals as the Super Eagles secured a second-place finish behind the host nation in February. The ex-player for Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City was also the sole African representative on this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, ultimately placing 14th. This current season, Lookman has once more demonstrated his crucial value for Atalanta, contributing eight goals in Serie A to aid his team in reaching the top of the league standings. Barbra Banda’s triumph follows her being named the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year less than a month prior. She notably scored the winning goal when Orlando Pride defeated Washington Spirit 1-0 in November’s NWSL Championship final. The 24-year-old also received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), having propelled her team, Orlando Pride, to their inaugural title. Her 17 goals placed her second in the league’s scoring charts, trailing only Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, with her most vital goal occurring in the Championship final where Pride secured a 1-0 victory over Washington Spirit. Furthermore, Banda displayed excellent form for her national team at the Paris Olympics, netting four goals for Zambia’s Copper Queens, which included a first-half hat-trick against Australia. With 10 goals across two Olympic Games, she has established herself as the leading African goal-scorer in Olympic history. To commemorate the continent’s premier footballing achievements from the preceding year, Caf organized an elaborate event featuring numerous prominent African artists performing on stage. Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz and Moroccan singer Dystinct headlined the entertainment during the evening, which also saw Cameroon’s President Paul Biya presented with an outstanding achievement award. Fifa president Gianni Infantino presented this award on stage and additionally extended congratulations to Morocco, following the nation’s confirmation last week as a co-host for the 2030 World Cup. South Africa captain Ronwen Williams experienced a successful evening, securing two trophies despite not winning the primary men’s award. The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper was honored as both the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year. During the prestigious event in Marrakesh, the selections for the Caf/Fifpro men’s and women’s Best XI line-ups were also announced. Men’s Player of the Year: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria & Atalanta) Women’s Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Zambia & Orlando Pride) Men’s Coach of the Year: Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast) Women’s Coach of the Year: Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe) Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria & Paris FC) Men’s Club of the Year: Al Ahly (Egypt) Women’s Club of the Year: TP Mazembe (DR Congo) Men’s Interclub Player of the Year: Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) Women’s Interclub Player of the Year: Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco & AS Far) Men’s Young Player of the Year: Lamine Camara (Senegal & Monaco) Women’s Young Player of the Year: Doha El Madani (Morocco & AS Far) Men’s National Team of the Year: Ivory Coast Women’s National Team of the Year: Nigeria Goal of the Year (voted for by fans): Cristovao Mabululu (Angola) – Angola v Namibia (Afcon 2023)