Nigerian Ademola Lookman, Zambian Barbra Banda and South African Ronwen Williams were the main winners at the CAF Awards 2024 ceremony, held on Monday in Marrakech, Morocco. The prestigious event rewarded the best African performers of the year.
The ceremony brought together football personalities, from across the African continent and beyond, to celebrate the growth and development of the game in Africa, as well as the progress made in men’s and women’s football in recent years.
Lookman was named African Player of the Year after an exceptional year with Atalanta (Italy) and the Super Eagles. He succeeds his compatriot Victor Osimhen, winner in 2023. This is the first time that Nigeria has won this prize two years in a row since Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997).
Banda marked the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season by helping the Orlando Pride win the NWSL Shield and championship, with a decisive goal in the final against Washington Spirit. She scored her third hat-trick at the Paris 2024 Olympics, an all-time record, and became the first African player included in the FIFA/FIFPRO Women’s World XI in 2024.
Williams was the only double winner of the night, receiving the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Men’s Interclub Player of the Year awards.
His spectacular penalty saves at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in Ivory Coast will long be remembered, including four in the quarter-final penalty shootout victory over Cape Verde then as he led South Africa to the bronze medal.
The 32-year-old helped his club, Mamelodi Sundowns, set a record of just 11 goals conceded in 30 games in the South African league, while winning a seventh consecutive domestic league title.
Nigerian Chiamaka Nnadozie has won the Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another outstanding season for French side Paris FC, where she was named the 2023-2024 Premier League Goalkeeper of the Season.
AS FAR center forward and Moroccan international Sanaâ Mssoudy won the Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player award.
Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco was named Men’s Young Player of the Year as the versatile midfielder shone for club and country with his dynamic displays.
Doha El Madani of AS FAR and Morocco won the Young Player of the Year title. The 19-year-old clinched the Golden Boot in the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League with six goals in five matches.
The Men’s Coach of the Year title went to Emerse Fae after he led Ivory Coast from the brink of elimination to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations title on their own ground, in one of the biggest global sports stories of 2024.
Moroccan coach Lamia Boumehdi was named Women’s Coach of the Year after leading DR Congo’s TP Mazembe to the summit of the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League with victory over AS FAR in the final.
Ivory Coast’s continental crown earned them the title of Men’s National Team of the Year, while Nigeria’s Super Falcons were named Women’s National Team of the Year.
Al Ahly’s fourth TotalEnergies CAF Champions League victory in five years earned them the Men’s Club of the Year title, while TP Mazembe won the Women’s Club of the Year .
The Goal of the Year award went to Angola’s Mabululu for his audacious finish against Namibia at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. This award was the only one to be voted on by fans.
In line with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe’s commitment to rewarding all stakeholders in the game, referees were also honored at the CAF Awards 2024. Mutaz Ibrahim of Libya was named Men’s Referee of the Year, while Bouchra Karboubi of Morocco was named Women’s Referee of the Year.
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue of Cameroon was named Assistant Referee of the Year for men and Diana Chikotesha of Zambia was named Assistant Referee of the Year for women.
The CAF-FIFPRO Africa Best XI teams for both men and women have also been announced.
2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS
CAF Player of the Year
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)
CAF Player of the Year
Barbra Banda (Zambie / Orlando Pride)
CAF Goalkeeper of the Year
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)
CAF Goalkeeper of the Year
Chiamaka Nandozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)
CAF Interclub Player of the Year
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)
CAF Interclub Player of the Year
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF Young Player of the Year
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)
CAF Young Player of the Year
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF Coach of the Year (Men)
Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast)
CAF Coach of the Year (Women)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
CAF National Team of the Year (Men)
Ivory Coast
CAF National Team of the Year (Women)
Nigeria
CAF Club of the Year (Men)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
CAF Club of the Year (Women)
TP Mazembe (RD Congo)
CAF Referee of the Year (Men)
Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)
CAF Referee of the Year (Women)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)
CAF Assistant Referee of the Year (Men)
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroun)
CAF Assistant Referee of the Year (Women)
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)
CAF Goal of the Year
Pants (Angolas)
For more information: [email protected]
CIF | Communications Department
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