Atalanta´s Lookman named African Footballer of the Year

Ademola Lookman has been named African Footballer of the Year for the very first time after a stellar year with Atalanta in Serie A.

Lookman beat the likes of the Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to scoop the accolade in Marrakesh.

He also became the seventh Nigerian to win the award after Nwankwo Kanu (two), Victor Ikpeba, Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike and Victor Osimhen.

Lookman enjoyed an incredible second season under Gian Piero Gasperini, registering 27 goal involvements (17 goals, 10 assists) in 45 appearances in all competitions.

Three of those goals came in the Europa League final, with his first career hat-trick earning Atalanta a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen as they lifted their first European title.

He also became only the second player to score a treble in the final of a major European competition for an Italian side, after Pierino Prati for Milan against Ajax in 1969.

And Lookman has continued his fine form into this campaign as Atalanta sit at the summit of the Serie A standings.

This season, only Atalanta team-mate Mateo Retegui (15) and Marcus Thuram (14) have been involved in more goals in Serie A than Lookman (12).

His late winner against Milan earlier this month saw Atalanta equal their record number of consecutive wins in Serie A, before surpassing that total against Cagliari last time out.

On the international scene, Lookman was named in the team of the tournament at the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three goals as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up.

He was also the only African on this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th.

Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda made history as the first Zambian to win the women’s prize, finishing ahead of Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.