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- The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football award ceremony is gradually heralding the scenes
- The Men’s Player of the Year award category currently appears to be the most talked-about among the various prizes up for grabs
- We highlight the possible final ranking of the Men’s POTY category as the showpiece, slated for Marrakech, Morocco, draws closer
The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards ceremony is fast becoming a topical issue, and the discussion about who will claim the highly coveted Men’s Player of the Year (POTY) prize is generating significant debate.
This award, historically won by some of Africa’s greatest football icons, will see its 2024 edition fiercely contested by five of the continent’s top talents.
Source: Getty Images
CAF recently trimmed its initial 10-man shortlist to a final five, featuring Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.
The selection has sparked lively discussions among fans, with differing opinions on how these stars should rank when the winners are announced at the Marrakech gala.
While many fans and stakeholders are backing Lookman as the favourite, CAF has outlined the criteria used to determine the winners, adding another layer of intrigue to the competition.
As the December 16 awards ceremony approaches, we take a closer look at the finalists and predict how the CAF Men’s POTY rankings might unfold.
Predicted final rankings of the CAF POTY award
Given that CAF’s voting panel places significant emphasis on each player’s performances and contributions throughout the calendar year, we have compiled a shortlist predicting the potential final rankings for the award.
5. Simon Adingra
The Brighton and Hove Albion forward ranks fifth in our final standings, especially considering his inclusion among the top five nominees for the award, which is, quite frankly, the most contentious.
The former Union Saint-Gilloise standout has primarily been used as a substitute at his club and made only a handful of appearances during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), albeit in key matches that contributed to his team’s victory.
Since that triumph in February, the dynamic winger has had a notably quiet season for both club and country. While no disrespect is intended, Adingra’s impact on the pitch has been minimal post-AFCON, which is why he finds himself at the bottom of our final rankings.
4. Ronwen Williams
We predict the 32-year-old shot-stopper will finish fourth in the final standings.
The South African goalkeeper played a key role in guiding Bafana Bafana to third place at the AFCON, with his penalty heroics being a standout moment.
Williams was equally pivotal for his club, Mamelodi Sundowns, helping them secure the DSTV Premier League title.
3. Hakimi Achraf
The 26-year-old is predicted to finish third in our final rankings. Hakimi experienced a rollercoaster 2024 calendar year, marked by both triumphs and setbacks.
On the positive side, the versatile full-back helped Paris Saint-Germain secure both the league and cup titles and also earned an Olympic bronze medal with Morocco.
However, his journey with the national team was far from flawless. Hakimi missed a crucial penalty as Morocco, one of the tournament favourites, were knocked out by South Africa in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite this disappointment, the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists have bounced back impressively, embarking on a 10-match unbeaten streak. However, it's worth noting that the Moroccan team often struggles in high-pressure situations—something that mirrors the struggles of his club, Paris Saint-Germain, in similar scenarios.
On a personal level, Hakimi continues to be one of Europe's finest full-backs, earning him a well-deserved third place in our rankings.
2. Serhou Guirassy
The Borussia Dortmund forward, who has been in exceptional form, is expected to finish second in our final rankings.
Guirassy had a breakout season with VfB Stuttgart, scoring an impressive 30 goals and providing 3 assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances. On the international stage, he led Guinea to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, although his personal contributions in terms of goals were minimal.
However, Guirassy has continued his remarkable run at Dortmund, netting 10 goals and adding 3 assists in his first 14 appearances for his new club.
While he is a strong contender for the award, his chances of winning could be hindered by his relatively underwhelming performances with the national team.
1. Ademola Lookman
We predict the Nigerian attacker will claim the highly coveted award on the night. The 27-year-old, who was the only African player to be nominated for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, spearheaded his club side, Atalanta's charge to a maiden silverware in about 70 years when he led them to the Europa League title with a hat-trick against an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side.
Lookman, who also led the Super Eagles of Nigeria to the final of the AFCON, racked up four goals throughout the competition.
The former RB Leipzig forward has since shown no signs of slowing down, as he has kicked off his current campaign with Atalanta in staggering fashion, racking up nine goals and five assists in his first 15 appearances for the club so far.
Lookman remains the clear favourite for the award, but it's important to note that the final decision on who CAF crowns as the Player of the Year on December 16 will depend heavily on the voting panel, as emphasised by CAF.
Hakimi speaks on winning CAF award
Legit.ng in another report detailed Hakimi's comments on the possibility of winning the CAF Player of the Year award.
The PSG star expressed that while winning the highly coveted prize would be a great honour, he also acknowledged that simply being nominated for the award is already a significant milestone in his career.
Source: Legit.ng
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