The Confederation of African Football, (CAF) has released a 10-man shortlist for the 2024 Player of the Year.
The list was published on CAF’s social media pages on Thursday.
The nominees include Nigeria’s duo of Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong.
Other notable names on the list include Brighton & Hove Albion’s Simon Adingra, who played a crucial role in Ivory Coast’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) success, Bayer Leverkusen’s defensive powerhouse Edmond Tapsoba, and Algeria’s forward Amine Gouiri.
South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, nominated for both Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, also earned his place on the list, along with Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain FC.
Achraf Hakimi, who was a finalist last year, returns to the shortlist after missing out on the title to Osimhen in 2023.
Williams stands out with nominations in three categories: Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and Interclub Player of the Year.
In a surprising twist, reigning African Footballer of the Year, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, has not been nominated to defend his title, despite his standout performances for Napoli, Galatasaray, and the Nigerian national team.
Additionally, Victor Boniface, another Super Eagles standout, missed out on the top ten, despite a stellar debut season with Bayer Leverkusen, where he played a key role in the club’s league and cup double.
Other significant categories in this year’s CAF Awards include Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year, Club of the Year, Young Player of the Year (under 21), and African Goalkeeper of the Year.
The winners will be decided by votes from a panel of CAF Technical Committee members, media professionals, head coaches, and captains of member associations, as well as clubs participating in CAF Interclub competitions.
