Who can beat Ademola Lookman to CAF top prize?

Ademola Lookman may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or voting last week, but his outstanding Serie A double this past weekend demonstrated why he’s the hot favourite to win CAF’s African Footballer of the Year award for 2024.

Lookman seemed to enjoy himself at the glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet, with the Super Eagles forward attending the event with his father and his youth coach.

Lookman watched on as Manchester City’s Rodri clinched the top individual prize in the men’s game, but one suspects he wouldn’t have been too disappointed, having been among the rank outsiders for the award.

Nonetheless, nomination heralded a major upturn in fortunes for the 27-year-old, who previously struggled to truly find his feet at a series of clubs before landing at Atalanta.

Aside from his hat-trick in the Europa League final, as La Dea dispatched Bayer Leverkusen to clinch Europe’s secondary club prize, his star turn against Napoli this weekend certainly suggests that he’s a talent at the top of his game.

It was arguably his best performance since the Europa League final display — although his two-goal two-assist display in the 6-1 mauling of Hellas Verona pushed it close – with Lookman proving utterly unplayable against the 2023 champions

Ten minutes in, he was quickest to react when Charles De Ketelaere headed the ball into his path, volleying home with his left as the hosts failed to clear their lines.

This was a poacher’s goal, made by Lookman’s anticipation, his instincts, and of course, his sharp finishing.

His second, coming just over 20 minutes later, was something completely different. Again dovetailing with De Ketelaere, Lookman was afforded too much space in a right-hand channel, with the defenders standing off him, and after setting the ball up onto his right foot, sent a thumping effort beyond Alex Meret from outside the box.

Mateo Retegui added a third in the second half to seal a convincing victory, but it was Lookman – now on six goals and four assists in eight league outings – who was clearly the game’s outstanding individual.

As well as netting twice, Lookman also created three goalscoring chances for his teammates – no one in the match set up more opportunities – to underpin a devastating offensive display.

For Lookman, while the 2024 Ballon d’Or came too soon, he’s quickly been established as the favourite to win CAF’s Men’s Player of the Year award after being named in the continental governing body’s somewhat baffling 10-man shortlist for the prize.

Lookman is surely the favourite, following his fine showings at the Africa Cup of Nations as Nigeria reached the final, his performances for Atalanta across the year, not least his Europa League-winning display.

Lookman won’t face competition from Mohamed Salah at the CAF awards, after the Egyptian was a notable omission from the shortlist.

By Ed Dove, ESPN Africa