Nigerian Ademola Lookman, the Italian Atalanta striker, won the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday.

Lookman won the award despite many nominations, with Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain player, winning.

As soon as Lookman's victory was announced, many inside the hall in Marrakesh chanted, "Hakimi...Hakimi." If Hakimi had won the award, it would have become the fifth Moroccan award during Monday's ceremony, after 4 awards went to Moroccan football.

Lookman, who led Atalanta to win the Europa League title last season after scoring a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen, retained the award in Nigeria after his fellow striker Victor Osimhen received it last year.

The list of candidates this year included, in addition to Lookman and Hakimi, South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Guinean Serho Djirassi and Ivorian Simon Adingra.

Ivorian Emercy Faye won the Best Coach award, while Zambian Barbara Banda won the Best African Player award in 2024, among many other awards during the ceremony that came under the watchful eyes of Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), who said in his speech in Arabic: "Dima Maghrib".

Do I deserve Hakimi?

Hakimi starred with Paris Saint-Germain and the Moroccan national team last season, and led the “Atlas Lions” to win the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics last summer.

This medal is the first for any Arab team in the history of the Olympics, and was achieved after a series of distinguished results and strong performances, and Hakimi was one of the most important reasons for his country to reach the podium.

Achraf Hakimi, Moroccan player, receives the Olympic bronze medal from FIFA President Gianni Infantino - August 9, 2024

Achraf Hakimi, Moroccan player, receives the Olympic bronze medal from FIFA President Gianni Infantino - August 9, 2024 - Reuters

Hakimi, the former Real Madrid player, hoped to be the first Moroccan to win this award, since Mustafa Hajji, the former Spanish player for Deportivo La Coruña, received it in 1998.

Hakimi came in second place at the CAF Awards in 2023, behind Nigerian Victor Osimhen, the former Italian Napoli striker.

List of award winners

2024: Nigerian Ademola Lookman

2023: Nigerian Victor Osimhen

2022: Senegalese Sadio Mane

2021: The concert has been cancelled

2020: The concert has been cancelled

2019: Senegalese Sadio Mane

2018: Egyptian Mohamed Salah

2017: Egyptian Mohamed Salah

2016: Algerian Riyad Mahrez

2015: Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

2014: Ivorian Yaya Toure

2013: Ivorian Yaya Toure

2012: Ivorian Yaya Toure

2011: Ivorian Yaya Toure

2010: Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o

2009: Ivorian Didier Drogba

2008: Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor

2007: Fiscal Frederic Kanoute

2006: Ivorian Didier Drogba

2005: Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o

2004: Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o

2003: Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o

2002: Senegalese El Hadji Diouf

2001: Senegalese El Hadji Diouf

2000: Cameroonian Patrick Mumba

1999: Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu  

1998: Moroccan Mustafa Hajji

1997: Nigerian Victor Ikpeba

1996: Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu

1995: Liberian George Weah

1994: Nigerian Emmanuel Amuneke

1993: Nigerian Rashidi Yakini

1992: Ghanaian Abedi Pele