CAF awards: Lookman, Nnadozie make final shortlist

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman and Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie lead Nigeria’s contest for honours at this year’s CAF Awards, after making the final shortlist of their awards categories which will be handed out on Monday in Marrakesh, Morocco, The PUNCH reports.

Nnadozie will be gunning for two honours as she is in the mix for the Women’s Player of The Year award along with Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Zambia’s Babra Banda.  The Paris FC shot-stopper is also a favourite for a back-to-back win in the Women’s Goalkeeper of The Year category.

The men’s category is however still locked in a tight race between Lookman and four other contenders. The 27-year-old will vie for the men’s Player of The Year Award where with Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

Both players will hope to succeed compatriots, Victor Osimhen, who holds the Men’s Player of The Year Award just as well as record six-time winner of the women’s award Asisat Oshoala.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons have both been made the final shortlist of the CAF National Team of the Year awards as the ceremony which takes place at the Palais des Congrès, Marrakech on Monday, December 16 draws nearer.

The Super Eagles were nominated alongside AFCON 2023 winners Ivory Coast, and South Africa while the Super Falcons were nominated with Morocco and the Banyana Banyana of South Africa.

The Super Eagles were nominated due to their exploits in the AFCON which was held in Ivory Coast earlier in the year, qualifying from their group and defeating Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa before losing to the hosts narrowly in the final of the tournament. They also finished top of their group in qualifying for AFCON 2025.

Although the year 2024 hasn’t been busy for the Falcons, they represented the continent in the Olympics before losing to powerhouses, Brazil, Spain and Japan in the group stages.  They also defeated Algeria in a double-header friendly in October before losing to France 2-1 in their last game of the year.

Also, Falconets and Rivers Angels forward, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu was named in the final three for the  Women’s Young Player of The Year award alongside FC Masar’s Habiba Sabry and Asfar’s Doha El Madani.

Chiamaka was one of the stars of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup despite the early exit of the Falconets.  Recording two goals and one assist as she led Nigeria to the round of 16.

To cap an impressive list of nominations for Nigerian women’s football, the Nigeria Women Football League champions, Edo Queens will also contend for the Women’s Club of The year award alongside CAF Women’s Champions League winners TP Mazembe and Asfar.