New Delhi: The African Men’s Player of the Year award is a yearly award presented to the best African footballer of that year, which the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has been giving out since 1992. Several great African players have been bestowed with this honour with players like Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roger Milla and former Liberian president George Weah, all going on to win the award multiple times during their career. Former Barcelona stars Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Touré are tied for the maximum number of wins with both them winning the award four times each.
Galatasaray’s on loan striker Victor Osimhen is the current holder of the award, having won it last year but won’t be able to retain it since he doesn’t make the final shortlist. Also missing out on the shortlist are Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who had a brilliant individual season and has continued that form at the start of this season as well. Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, who led the club’s invincible charge last season, also fails to make the shortlist. The final shortlist for the award as revealed by the CAF are as follows:
5) Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 – Ronwen Williams. 🇿🇦🌟#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/WkirICEpOX
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 10, 2024
The South African captain has had a stellar year and caps it off with another nomination for a prestigious award. The 32-year-old earlier became the first ever South African player to earn a nomination for a Ballon d’Or award, after he was nominated for the Yashin Trophy. He led his side to the South African Premier League title in the last campaign. In 46 games, he kept 30 clean sheets in all competitions and conceded only 19 and has started this season in similar form, keeping 9 clean sheets in 14 games and conceding only six goals.
4) Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 – Serhou Guirassy. 🇬🇳🌟#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/bkkTyRnzFK
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 8, 2024
The Guinea International had a remarkable season with VfB Stuttgart last time around as he powered them to a second placed finish in the Bundesliga, above giants Bayern Munich. Guirassy’s exceptional form saw him score 30 goals in as many games in all competitions. This form led to a big move to Borussia Dortmund where he’s carried the same form, contributing to 16 goals in 17 games. A late bloomer in his career, this is Guirassy’s best shot to win an individual honour but given the lack of trophies his team won, makes it a little difficutl for the 28-year-old.
3) Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast/Brighton and Hove Albion)
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 – Simon Adingra. 🇨🇮🌟#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/M0bDF9KZJ4
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 7, 2024
Brighton’s Simon Adingra saw himself earn the nomination following his heroics in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The 22-year-old winger first saved his country from being eliminated in the quarter-finals by scoring a stoppage time equalizer against Mali. He would then go on to star in the final by assisting both of Ivory Coast’s goals in their 2-1 win over Nigeria and being named man of the match. He broke out at Brighton as well last season, making 40 appearances for the club in all competitions and contributing to 10 goals.
2) Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/PSG)
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 – Achraf Hakimi. 🇲🇦🌟#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/1VpStjli28
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 8, 2024
The only person from last year’s top three to make the cut this year, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi finds himself in the race once again. With the Paris based side, Hakimi once again had a successful season, winning the Ligue 1 and the Coupe De France while contributing to 12 goals in 40 games from right-back for the club. He was even part of Morocco’s football team sent for the Olympics as one of the three overage players and captained them to an Olympic Bronze medal, scoring in their 6-0 win over Egypt in the Bronze medal match.
1) Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta)
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 – Ademola Lookman. 🇳🇬🌟#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/zgKOVkAj1L
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 9, 2024
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman’s excellent 2024 has been wrapped with a nomination for the African Footballer of the Year award and the 27-year-old looks to be the favourite to win it this year. The English born winger had an exceptional 2023/24 season for Atalanta, contributing to 27 goals in 45 games which included a hattrick in the UEFA Europa League final, Atalanta’s first trophy in over 60 years. This led to a 14th place finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings for the Nigerian. He was also a huge part of Nigeria’s run to the final in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring in two of the knockout games as he made it to the team of the tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have revealed their nominees for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award for this year. Dive in to find out who makes the shortlist for this prestigious honour. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
