The Confederation of African Football (CAF) revealed the list of 10 players shortlisted for the 2024 African Player of the Year award, commonly known as the African Ballon d’Or, which will be presented during the CAF Awards ceremony on December 16 in Marrakech.
This year’s edition stands out due to the absence of several familiar names, such as reigning champion Victor Osimhen, and previous winners Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah. In their absence, Serhou Guirassy and Ademola Lookman emerge as the main contenders. Guirassy, after an impressive season with Stuttgart where he scored 30 goals, has already netted 7 times in 8 matches since his transfer to Borussia Dortmund. Lookman, the only African nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, is buoyed by his hat-trick in the Europa League final and his performance at the AFCON, where he led his team to a runner-up finish.
Nigerian William Troost-Ekong, named the best player of the tournament, also makes the list, giving Nigeria two representatives. Côte d’Ivoire, the surprising AFCON champions, is represented by Simon Adingra, who was decisive in the knockout stages, though Sébastien Haller, crucial in key moments, was not selected.
Brahim Diaz and Aubameyang snubbed, Gouiri’s surprise inclusion
Despite a disappointing AFCON, Morocco has two players on the list: Soufiane Rahimi, top scorer at the 2024 Olympic Games and a bronze medalist, and Achraf Hakimi, the team captain during the tournament. However, some key players, like Brahim Diaz, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid, and Ayoub El Kaabi, top scorer in the Europa Conference League, were left out.
A surprise inclusion is Amine Gouiri, who will represent Algeria, sidelining players like Mohamed Amoura. The list also includes Chancel Mbemba, who led DR Congo to a 4th-place finish at AFCON, and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, a crucial figure in South Africa’s 3rd-place achievement.
Despite scoring 30 goals for Olympique de Marseille, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left off the list, as was Ivorian Odilon Kossounou, who won both AFCON and a domestic double with Bayer Leverkusen. In contrast, his former teammate at Bayer, Burkina Faso’s Edmond Tapsoba, made the cut.
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