"I Fully Support Lookman to Win": Ghana Legend Backs Nigeria Star for CAF POTY Award
- Former FIFA U20 World Cup winner Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has disclosed his admiration for Ademola Lookman
- The ex-Black Stars midfielder has backed the Atalanta winger to win the 2024 Africa Player of the Year
- Lookman, who starred for the Super Eagles at AFCON 2023, finished 14th at the recent Ballon d'Or awards in France
Former Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu is backing Nigeria and Atalanta forward for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award.
Lookman made the ten-man shortlist for the top award after an outstanding campaign saw him win the Europa League with Atalanta.
However, missing from the nomination is current Player of the Year, Victor Osimhem, despite playing a pivotal role in the Super Eagles' run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Source: Getty Images
Agyemang Badu hoped Osimhen could have made the list but admits Lookman remains his favourite for the award.
"I was hoping he would make the shortlist, but there were also many outstanding players who did exceptional work in Africa last year," he told Flashscore.
"He's still young and has plenty of opportunities to be crowned Africa's best. He just needs to stay focused, keep learning, and continue growing. His time will come - it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
"Without a doubt, one of my favorite players, Lookman, has been outstanding for both his club and country. I fully support him to win the award."
Lookman places 14th at 2024 Ballon d'Or
Lookman's incredible year was crowned with a 14th place finish at the Ballon d'Or awards in France, as reported by Sporting News.
The Nigerian was the only African player to make the 30-man shortlist following his exploits in the year in review.
The former England youth international scored a phenomenal hat-trick as the Italian club won the Europa League last season, beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final.
Agyemang Badu blasts Black Stars
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that former Ghana midfielder, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has criticised the performance of the Black Stars in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The four-time African champions slipped to another defeat, which has all but almost ended their chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. A loss to Sudan in Libya on Tuesday, October 15, 2025, keeps Ghana third in Group F with two matches remaining.
Angola has already picked one of the slots in the group and Sudan needs just a point from the last two matches.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
