SportsNews

Lookman, four others nominated for 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award

Published

1 year ago

December 13, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

Ademola Lookman

Nigeria international, Ademola Lookman, has been shortlisted for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.

This was announced on the official website of the Confederation of African Football on Thursday.

Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, is the only Nigerian among the five nominees for this prestigious award.

The winner will be crowned during a ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday, December 16.

The gala will be held at the Palais des Congrès.

The CAF Men’s Player of the Year award has celebrated Africa’s top footballers since its inception in 1970.

The nominees for this year’s award are:

Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire & Brighton & Hove Albion)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea & Borussia Dortmund)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Paris Saint-Germain)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria & Atalanta)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

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The award was first introduced by France Football magazine in 1970, with CAF taking over in 1992.

The inaugural recipient was Salif Keïta of Mali, recognised for his performances with Saint-Étienne in France.

Subsequent winners include notable footballers like Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana, 1971) and Chérif Souleymane (Guinea, 1972). The France Football Award ran until 1994, while CAF’s version began in 1992.

Abedi Pele of Ghana won the CAF award three consecutive times from 1991 to 1993. George Weah of Liberia made history in 1995 as the first (and only) African to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

The record for most Men’s Player of the Year titles is held jointly by Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) and Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire), each with four titles. Touré remains the only player to win it four years in a row (2011-2014).

Among active players, Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Sadio Mané of Senegal have each won the award twice.

Past CAF Men’s Player of the Year winners are:
1992: Abedi Pele (Ghana)
1993: Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
1994: Emmanuel Amunike (Nigeria)
1995: George Weah (Liberia)
1996: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
1997: Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
1998: Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
1999: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
2000: Patrick Mboma (Cameroon)
2001: El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2002: El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2003: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2004: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2005: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2006: Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
2007: Frédéric Kanouté (Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2012: Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2013: Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2014: Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
2017: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2018: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
2019: Sadio Mané (Senegal)
2020: Awards not held due to COVID-19
2021: Awards not held due to COVID-19
2022: Sadio Mané (Senegal)
2023: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

SportsNews

2026 World Cup: Super Eagles waiting for FIFA’s decision – Iwobi

Published

5 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Super Eagles playmaker, Alex Iwobi, has admitted they are waiting to see if the team would still play at the 2026 World Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is optimistic of a potential lifeline from FIFA, after it submitted a petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Iwobi was asked by SuperSport if he would rather lift the AFCON 2025 trophy or qualify for the World Cup?

The 29-year-old, who played at the 2018 of the World Cup, replied: “I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one.

“It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment.

“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Politics

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences

to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.

The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.

President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.

“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.

I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.

President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)