CAF Unveils Final Three-Man Shortlist For 2024 African Player Of The Year Award.

 The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the top three finalists for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, recognising their impressive performances during the 2023/2024 season.

Nigeria is set to win the prize for a second successive year after Victor Osimhen won it in 2023.

The African football governing body shortlisted Nigerian duo of Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface, joined by Moroccan Brahmin Diaz to complete the final three-man shortlist.

These players have been recognized for their outstanding performances, making them top contenders for Africa’s most prestigious football award.

Lookman had a remarkable calendar year, as he single-handedly won the Europa League title for Atalanta when he netted a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final in Dublin. It was the Italian club's first European trophy and their first trophy in 61 years.

He was also crowned the club Player of the Year.

The 26-year-old star is the only African player in the 30-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or award. 

Lookman was also part of the Super Eagles squad that finished AFCON 2023 as runners-up losing to host country Cote d'Ivoire 2-1 in the final. He scored three goals at the tournament.

On the other hand, Boniface played a vital role in Bayer Leverkusen's success, helping the German club to secure multiple titles, which includes winning an unbeaten Bundesliga title for the first time in the club's history, the German Cup, and the German Super Cup respectively.

The 23-year-old netted 14 league goals in 23 matches and was also impressive in the Europa League, as Leverkusen finished the tournament as a runners-up.

While Brahim Diaz was among the Real Madrid's team that won multiple titles, including La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup, solidifying his impact on both club and country. 

Many other African stars have also enjoyed outstanding seasons deserving of the CAF POTY, including  Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Guirassy has had a phenomenal season with VFB Stuttgart, taking the Bundesliga by storm netting an impressive 30 goals in 30 matches, but he couldn't win the Golden Boot race.

He finished last campaign as the highest-scoring African in the Bundesliga, with only Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane netting more. However, the Guinean international failed to replicate the form at the AFCON tournament, as he was not fit. 

Mo Salah scored 25 goals in 44 matches for Liverpool last season, although the Egyptian international had a poor AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast.

Sebastien Haller started the year scintillating, scoring in the AFCON final to help Ivory Coast win the title on home soil. The striker also played a crucial role for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, where they finished as runners-up in the Wembley final losing 2-0 to Spanish giants Real Madrid. He could only manage three goals in nineteen matches in all competitions last season. 

Legendary Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also had a standout year in France, PSG and Morocco full-back Achraf Hakimi, Leverkusen and Burkina Faso’s defender Edmond Tapsoba, and West Ham and Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus also made vital impacts for their teams.

The winner of the Africa's top football award will be announced at the upcoming ceremony on Monday December 16 in Marrakesh.