CAF Awards: Lookman, Nnadozie, Super Eagles, and Falcons nominated
Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman has been included in the final nominees for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year.
This is the first time the Atalanta star has been included in the final shortlist.
Lookman had an exemplary year for both club and country.
The 27-year-old scored three goals and registered one assist in seven appearances for the Super Eagles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
The winger also scored a historic hat-trick for Atalanta in the final of the UEFA Europa League.
Lookman has so far racked up 11 goals and five assists from 18 outings across all competitions for La Dea this season.
He will battle Simon Adingra, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Ronwen Williams for the prestigious award.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been named among the final nominees for the 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year.
Zambia forward Barbara Banda and Morocco’s Sanna Mssoudy are the other players nominated for the prestigious award.
Nnadozie is also in contention for the Goalkeeper of the Year.
The 24-year-old will be looking to succeed her compatriot, Asisat Oshoala, who won the award last year.
Oshoala has won the award for a record six times.
Nnadozie impressed for Nigeria at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The Super Eagles and the Super Falcons have been nominated for the 2024 CAF Men’s and Women’s National Team of the Year.
The Super Eagles alongside African champions, Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire and Bafana Bafana of South Africa are also nominated for the Men’s National Team of the Year.
Banyana Banyana of South Africa and Atlas Lionesses of Morocco are the other teams in contention for the Women’s National Team of the Year.
The Super Eagles finished second at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
The West Africans lost 2-1 to the hosts in the final.
The Super Falcons were eliminated in the group stage at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
But Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has been excluded from the final three-man shortlist for the Goalkeeper of the Year at the 2024 CAF Awards.
This was confirmed in a social media post from the football body on Thursday night.
Those who will be competing for the prize are Andre Onana (Cameroon/Manchester United), Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns) and Yahia Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire/Angers SCO).
The winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on Monday, December 16.
Nwabali burst onto the continental scene at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
In seven games, he kept four clean sheets and saved two penalty kicks in the semi-final shootout against South Africa
