Ademola Lookman or Achraf Hakimi? Spotlighting 2024 CAF men’s final shortlist

The race for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year is one of the most competitive in recent history, unlike previous editions of the award ceremony where only three candidates emerge to compete for the award on the last and grand stage, this time around CAF has increased it to five showing the dynamics of African football which has begun to have impression across the globe.

With five standout candidates released yesterday, 18th November, 2024; Simon Adingra, Ademola Lookman, Ronwen Williams, Serhou Guirassy, and Achraf Hakimi; earning their places on the shortlist. Here’s an analysis of their performances for both club and country over the past year, including their stats and achievements, as well as predictions for the award.

Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast/Brighton & Hove Albion)

Adingra has been a revelation in the Premier League for Brighton, where his dynamic wing play has been crucial. In the 2023-24 season, where he made 42 appearances for both club and country and contributed 7 goals and 4 assists, helping Brighton secure a European spot. Internationally, the 22-year-old winger played a key role for Ivory Coast during the AFCON qualifiers, scoring a vital goal and making goal assists that secured their progression especially in the 2024 AFCON finals against Nigeria where he proved his immeasurable offensive ability by terrorizing defenders and keeping goal threats alive. His consistency, coupled with his ability to perform in high-pressure matches, has elevated his status as one of Africa’s top emerging talents. His pattern of play gives him the opportunity to play as both a winger and as a striker, which of course he has proven in this current campaign by having 6 goal contributions with a total of 13 appearances for both club and country.

Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta)

Next on the list is Lookman who enjoyed an impressive football campaign last season with Atalanta, highlighted by a hat-trick in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final, where Atalanta triumphed over Bayer Leverkusen. The 27-year-old who made 47 appearances for both club and country ended the 2023-24 season with 18 goals and 9 assists. For Nigeria, Lookman was instrumental in their run to the final of the 2023 AFCON, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the tournament. Still maintaining the consistency which he has built from the previous season, he has provided 15 goal contributions this campaign across Europe and for Nigeria. Lookman’s style of play gives him the edge to play in positions such as supporting striker, center-forward and the attacking mid-field. Coupled with his ability for scoring goals, making chances in crucial games and his recent Ballon d’or ranking, he has solidified his reputation as one of Africa’s elite forwards.

Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)

Williams, the sole goalkeeper to make the final shortlist, has been impressive for both club and country. He led Mamelodi Sundowns to another South African Premier Soccer League title, keeping 27 clean sheets and conceding 19 goals in 43 appearances across the 2023-24 season for both club and country. Again, in the current football campaign, Williams has proven that he can still maintain a superior goal keeping statistics, with only 9 match appearances, he has kept 5 clean sheets, conceded only 3 goals and boasts of 85% goal saving percentage according to footystats. The 32-year-old for South Africa, has shown commanding performances in AFCON qualifiers, including a crucial penalty save against Ghana, have underlined his importance. His inclusion highlights the value of defensive excellence in a field dominated by attacking players.

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)

28-years-old Guirassy’s goal-scoring exploits have been sensational. Starting the year at VfB Stuttgart, he scored 30 goals and provided three assists in the Bundesliga, finishing second in the Golden Boot race, before transferring to Borussia Dortmund, where he has continued his fine form with 9 goals and 4 assists in his first 8 games according to transfer market. On the international stage, Guirassy scored five goals in AFCON qualifiers, helping Guinea secure a spot in the tournament. His lethal finishing and physical presence make him a strong contender for the 2024 CAF Men’s player of the year award.

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)

Moreover, Hakimi again made it to the final shortlist for the award and has been hailed by both fans and pundits to be the favorite in winning this years’ award. The 26-year-old who plays has a right-back for both club and country has continued to shine as one of the best full-backs in the world. At PSG, he contributed significantly both defensively and offensively, with 5 goals and 7 assists in 40 match appearances in the 2023-24 season. In similar fashion as the previous season, Hakimi has provided 5 goal contributions across Europe. The former Real Madrid player, for Morocco, has played a vital role in their qualification campaign for AFCON 2025, providing leadership and decisive moments, including a stunning free-kick against Cameroon. His versatility and consistency across all competitions make him a standout.

Prediction

Regardless of the compelling case presented by this years’ award nominee, Ademola Lookman’s combination of individual brilliance, decisive contributions in major tournaments, a European silverware and his latest ranking in the Ballon d’or award gives him a slight edge. His ability to perform at the highest level for both club and country sets him apart from other competitors in the list. However, strong cases can also be made for Guirassy’s prolific scoring and Hakimi’s leadership and consistency. The winner will however be announced on December 16, 2024, in Marrakech, Morocco.

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