The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has thrown its full support behind Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, as both players vie for top honours at the CAF Player of the Year awards.
Lookman is a strong contender in the men’s category, while Nnadozie is in the running for the women’s category.
Lookman will slug it out in the men’s category against Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
In a statement on Sunday titled “2024 CAF Awards: Lookman is the man, whichever way you look at it!”, the NFF strongly backed the Atalanta forward and goalkeeper as contenders for the CAF Player of the Year awards.
“All things being equal, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman should be crowned the African Player of The Year at Monday evening’s 2024 CAF Awards at the Palais des Congrés in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.
“None of the four other final nominees comes close. Ivorian Simon Adingra, whose remarkable second-half performance saw the Elephants overcome Nigeria in the AFCON Final in Abidjan on February 11, cannot point to such a glittering record with English Premier League club Brighton.”
Nnadozie is a contender for the Women’s Player of the Year award alongside Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Barbra Banda, while also eyeing a back-to-back win as Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
“In the women’s category, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie is a worthy contender for the Player of the Year (won for the sixth time last year by compatriot Asisat Oshoala), and the gong will cap a remarkable year for the soft-spoken safe hands who helped Nigeria reappear at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament after 16 years, was key to the Falcons’ qualification for next year’s AFCON, and drew rave reviews all around with French club Paris FC,” the statement added.
In other categories, the Super Eagles and Super Falcons are National Team of the Year finalists, while Falconets and Rivers Angels forward, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, is in the final three for Women’s Young Player of the Year.
