Moroccans are not happy that Ademola Lookman outshined their captain Achraf Hakimi in Monday’s CAF African Player of Year Awards held in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Football fans and the media in that country were anticipating a win for their man who they believe had done more than Lookman to win their awards. They felt that leading Paris St Germain to the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the Trophée des Champions, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League and winning a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics were enough credentials for Hakimi to bag the awards.
However, voting football players and coaches preferred Lookman who helped an unfancied Atalanta to the Europa League with a hat-trick of goals, lead the Super Eagles to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations and has continued to remain in form throughout the season.
“For the second time in Africa, the Golden Ball has been stolen from Morocco’s Lions,” Moroccan newspaper Al-Mountakhab wrote.
“The committee continues to steal, improvise, and operate randomly, deliberately wronging the Moroccan Lions for the second consecutive time,”
Another publication Al-Oumk, screamed in their headline: “Contrary to expectations… Nigerian Lookman snatches the 2024 African Golden Ball.”
