MADRID, 17 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman has been chosen as best footballer of the year at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, considered the Ballon d’Or of Africa, at the gala held this Monday in Marrakech (Morocco ), while Zambian Barbra Banda, from Orlando Pride, received the award as best player of the course.
The 27-year-old Nigerian striker has been rewarded for his good performance in the last 12 months with the Italian team, with whom he won the Europa League last season, and takes over as the best player on the continent from his compatriot Victor Osimhen, which won the award in 2023.
For her part, Banda took the trophy after her great performance in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where she helped the Orlando Pride win the NWSL Shield – the title for the regular season champion – and the championship, scoring the goal decisive in the final against the Washington Spirit. Banda became the first African player included in the 2024 FIFPRO Women’s World XI.
The awards for best coach of 2024 went to the Ivory Coast coach, Emerse Faé, in the men’s category; and for the Moroccan Lamia Boumehdi, coach of the Congolese TP Mazembe, in the women’s category.