Here are four reasons why Ademola Lookman is expected to win the CAF's African Player of the Year 2024 in the men's category.
As the 2024 CAF African Player of the Year award approaches, social media has been buzzing with debates about who will claim the men's category title.
With that in mind, we have compiled five reasons why Nigeria's Ademola Lookman is perfectly positioned to clinch the highly coveted Player of the Year award at the CAF Awards ceremony, scheduled for December 2024.
It is safe to say that Nigeria is re-establishing itself as a dominant force in African football, following Victor Osimhen's remarkable success in 2023, which saw him win the African Player of the Year award. The stage is once again set, as another Nigerian international, Ademola Lookman, is well-poised to secure the award, making it back-to-back wins for Nigeria.
Questions have been raised about Ademola Lookman's qualifications to win the African Player of the Year 2024 award. However, given his impressive performances in Serie A and at AFCON 2023, it is clear that the winger is a strong contender for this prestigious accolade.
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Can Ademola Lookman win the African Player of the Year 2024 award?
As it stands, Ademola Lookman is leading the race to be crowned the African Player of the Year 2024. The Nigerian international has met the major prerequisites for the award, excelling at both club and national levels.
Ademola Lookman's individual stats
Ademola Lookman's individual stats since his move to Atalanta have continued to improve as the football seasons progress. However, his performances during the 2023/2024 campaign in both Serie A and the UEFA Europa League were nothing short of exceptional, and it is no surprise that the Nigerian international has also carried this form into the 2024/2025 season at the club.
One performance that will be remembered for years to come is Ademola Lookman’s trailblazing display in the 2023/2024 UEFA Europa League final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen. In that match, he made history as the first African footballer in the history of any UEFA competition to score a hattrick in the finals.
Ademola Lookman's Serie A stats (2023/2024)
- Matches Played: 31
- Goals Scored: 11
- Assists: 7
- Shots on Target: 25
- Yellow Cards: 4
- Red Cards: 0
Ademola Lookman's UEFA Europa League stats (2023/2024)
- Matches Played: 11
- Goals Scored: 5
- Assists: 1
- Shots on Target: 9
- Yellow Cards: 2
- Red Cards: 0
Lookman's Ballon d'Or 2024 nomination
Ademola Lookman became the only African player shortlisted among the final 30 nominees for the 2024 Ballon d'Or Men's Player of the Year award. This serves as a significant boost to his quest for the African Player of the Year 2024 award. Being the only African player to receive this recognition and finishing in the top 20 rankings at number 14 in the men's category highlights the recognition of his exceptional performances during the 2023/2024 season.
Ademola Lookman at AFCON 2023
Ademola Lookman was a game-changer for Nigeria at AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, playing a pivotal role in the Super Eagles' remarkable progression to the finals against all odds.
It is somewhat of an open-secret that a player’s AFCON performance, along with their country’s success, significantly influences the selection of the African Player of the Year. As it stands, the Atalanta forward effortlessly checks both boxes, strengthening his case for the prestigious award.
The importance of a player in any team can be determined by the number of appearances such a player makes for his side and how much of a game-changer he is in such a team.
Over time Ademola Lookman has exerted his dominance in both the national and the club level making it almost impossible for both teams to function effectively in his noticeable absence.
Whenever Lookman is on the field of player there is always an extra spring in the gameplay of both Nigeria and Atalanta as he can be found opening spaces and creating chances during an attack.
Ademola Lookman delivered an impressive performance during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with the following key stats:
- Goals Scored: 3
- Netted twice in the Round of 16 against Cameroon.
- Scored the decisive goal in the quarter-final clash with Angola.
- Assists: 1
- Matches Played: 4
- Man of the Match Awards: 1 (in the match against Cameroon)
- Big Chances Created: 2
- Chances Created: 7
- Key Passes: 6
Ademola Lookman titles won
Recognizing football as a team sport is also important which is why aside from what you have achieved as an individual on the field of play, what your team has achieved also plays a huge role in determining the winner of the Footballer of the Year award.
With Ademola Lookman's side Atalanta picking up the UEFA Europa League title in the 2023/2024 club football season with him being a major contributor in guaranteeing his side the title in the finals, the scales of the African Footballer of the Year 2024 have officially tipped in his favour.
These four key reasons could tip the scales in favour of Ademola Lookman for the highly coveted African Player of the Year awards 2024.
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