CAF Awards 2024: Men’s Player of the Year Finalists announced

The ceremony is set to take place on 16 December.

CAF is organizing its annual African Ballon d’Or, now called the “CAF Awards,” in Marrakech on December 16. After an initial roster of 10 players was previously disclosed, the African football governing body named the five finalists for the African Player of the Year award this Thursday.

This Monday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) formally announced the five nominees for the 2024 African Player of the Year award: South African player Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ivorian player Simon Adingra (Brighton), Guinean player Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund), Nigerian player Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), and Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi (PSG).

In their tumultuous journey to the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations championship on home soil in February, Cote d’Ivoire relied heavily on winger Adingra, who led them to the trophy.

In the 2023–24 season, Guirassy scored an incredible 30 goals in as many games for Stuttgart, a German Bundesliga team. He has continued to score goals since joining Borussia Dortmund last summer and has become their integral player following the move.

One of the most reliable right-backs in European football for a long time, Hakimi enjoyed a fantastic season with Paris Saint-Germain, helping them win their third consecutive French Ligue 1 championship and reaching the semi-final of the Champions League last term.

Lookman has been playing at his best in 2024, helping his Italian Serie A team, Atalanta, become a contender for the championship and leading them to their first major prize in 61 years—the UEFA Europa League trophy.

Lookman could be the favourite to win the award given he led Atalanta to one of the biggest silverware in their history and also scored a hattrick against a side who were unbeaten throughout the season.

Williams, who captained South Africa to the bronze medal at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, will live on in history for his incredible penalty saves and will hope to win the award.

List of African Player of the Year Finalists

• Ronwen Williams
• Simon Adingra
• Serhou Guirassy
• Ademola Lookman
• Achraf Hakimi

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