Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and forward Ademola Lookman are the only Nigerians on the shortlist as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced nominations for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year awards.
Lookman was an expected nominee following his performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals as Nigeria reached the final of the tournament and his record-breaking display in the final of the 2024 UEFA Europa League.
The 27-year-old struck a hat-trick to become the first player in history to score thrice in an Europa League final as Atalanta became the first Italian club to win the tournament.
He is joined by compatriot Troost-Ekong, named the 2023 AFCON Player of the tournament. Troost-Ekong scored three goals in the game.
Both will lock horns with Amine Gouiri, Edmond Tapsoba, Simon Adingra, Chancel Mbemba, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, Soufiane Rahimi and Ronwen Williams for the biggest individual prize on the continent.
Meanwhile, Victor Boniface’s 21 goals and nine assists in 34 appearances as Bayer Leverkusen won their first-ever league title last season was not enough to secure the Nigerian forward a place in the 10-man shortlist.
Boniface was included in Nigeria’s final list for the 2023 AFCON, but the injury the forward sustained days before the start of the tournament kept him out.
Surprisingly, despite leading Nigeria to the AFCON final, former Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro missed out on the Coach of the Year nomination as the country secured a nomination in the Men’s National Team of the Year category.
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who broke out of nowhere to become a vital player in Nigeria’s AFCON journey, earned a nomination in the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year category.
For the third time in a row, Morocco will host the CAF Awards, with this year’s edition scheduled to hold on December 16 in the tourist city of Marrakech.
