February 15, 2025

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Lookman: The Architect of Atalanta’s Football Renaissance Wins Africa’s Best Award

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Lookman: The Architect of Atalanta’s Football Renaissance Wins Africa’s Best Award

Lookman: The Architect of Atalanta’s Football Renaissance Wins Africa’s Best Award

Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman of Atalanta has been awarded the 2024 African Player of the Year, beating out a number of strong contenders, including Moroccan Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint-Germain.

Lookman triumphed over several other nominees, including Ivorian Simon Adingra (Brighton), Guinean Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund), Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), and South African Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Lookman claimed the title in the year following his compatriot Victor Osimhen’s victory, marking the first time in the 21st century that Nigeria has won the award in consecutive years.

Nigerian players have now won the award seven times, making Nigeria the second most successful nation in the history of the award, behind Cameroon, who have won it 11 times, including four times by the legendary Samuel Eto’o.

Samuel Eto’o holds the record for the most awards with four, tied with Ivorian legend Yaya Touré, although Touré has also been a runner-up twice, compared to Eto’o’s once.

Lookman made history as the first player from Atalanta to win the award, while Liverpool and Manchester City share the record for the most titles, each having won it four times.

Also from the Award Ceremony: What Did Williams Achieve to Win the Men’s Interclub Player of Africa and Best Goalkeeper?

What did Lookman achieve to claim the 2024 African Player of the Year title?

Historic Achievement with Atalanta

Lookman played a crucial role in leading Atalanta to their first-ever UEFA Europa League title, scoring a hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the final. He became the first African player to score a hat-trick in the final of a major European competition.

Before Lookman, the only African player to score multiple goals in a major European final was Senegal’s Sadio Mané, who scored twice for Liverpool in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final against Chelsea.

A Relentless Goal Machine

In addition to his standout performance in the Europa League, where he scored five goals, Lookman contributed 18 goals in Italy’s Serie A last season, scoring 11 and providing 7 assists. He was named Atalanta’s Player of the Year and was included in the Europa League Team of the Year.

This season, Lookman has continued his stellar form, contributing to 16 goals in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League, the latest of which was a goal against Real Madrid.

With the Nigerian National Team

Lookman reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, held in 2024, before Nigeria lost 2-1 to host nation Ivory Coast.

Lookman was directly involved in four goals during the tournament, scoring three and providing one assist.

The Nigerian scored twice against Cameroon in the Round of 16, netted a goal against Angola in the quarterfinals, and registered an assist against Equatorial Guinea in the group stage.

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