Former Inter Milan coach reveals his pick for CAF Player of the Year Award

2 weeks ago 2

The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awards ceremony is on the horizon
The Men's Player of the Year award category appears to be the most talked-about award up for grabs at the ceremony
A former Inter Milan manager has identified his favourite to win the prestigious award at the Marrakech Gala

The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards is fast becoming a hot topic as the ceremony scheduled for Morocco approaches.

The lavish awards ceremony, which often features a constellation of Africa's finest football dignitaries, is expected to light up the scene once again.

Among the award categories, the spotlight remains firmly on the Men's Player of the Year prize.

The CAF Player of the Year award ceremony is slated for December in Morocco

The POTY category, whose shortlist was recently published by CAF, features some of Africa's finest footballing talents, including Nigeria's Ademola Lookman and Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi.

Predictions have continued to dominate discussions around who would be the most deserving winner of this highly coveted award.

However, amid the ongoing debate about the deserving winner, former Inter Milan coach and current Atalanta manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has named his favourite to win the award.

Atalanta coach names favourite to win CAF awards

In a recent media appearance, the 66-year-old Italian manager expressed his support for Lookman as the most deserving candidate for the award.

The UEFA Europa League-winning coach highlighted the Nigerian forward's impressive career progress, suggesting it sets him apart as a standout contender.

In remarks shared by Calciomercato, Gasperini stated:

"I don't rank players, but his evolution has been fantastic. He was already excelling alongside Hojlund, then continued to shine with Scamacca and De Ketelaere, and now with Retegui. "Right now, he’s among the top players. Competing in the European championships puts him on the world stage."He’s capable of winning the African Golden Ball, but his evolution and consistency are what matter most."

Lookman further demonstrated why he’s considered a favourite for the prestigious award by scoring again in Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League victory over VFB Stuttgart.

The 2024 CAF Awards are scheduled for December 14 in a grand ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco.