Ghana Legend Agyemang Badu Predicts CAF Player of the Year Award for Mohammed Kudus

• Former Ghana and Udinese star Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has predicted a CAF Player of the Year award for Mohammed Kudus
• The West Ham United star has to wait for another year to try his luck after missing the nomination for the top award
• Kudus enjoyed an excellent first season in the Premier League with London club West Ham United last season

Former Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu strongly believes Mohammed Kudus will win the African Player of the Year award in his career.

The West Ham United star could not make the ten-man shortlist for the 2024 award despite an impressive first season in the Premier League.

Kudus scored 14 goals and delivered six assists across all competitions for the Hammers since joining them from Ajax in the summer of 2024. At the Africa Cup of Nations early this year, Kudus scored two goals in two matches for Ghana.

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According to Agyemang Badu, Kudus is still young and will get his moment at the right time.

“I was hoping he would make the shortlist, but there were also many outstanding players who performed exceptionally well in Africa last year,” Agyemang Badu told Flashscore, as quoted by My Joy Online.

“Kudus is still young and has plenty of opportunities to be crowned Africa’s best. He just needs to stay focused, keep learning, and continue to grow. His time will come—it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

CAF presents final CAF POTY nominees

Ahead of the award ceremony on December 16, 2024, in Morocco, the Confederation of African Football released a ten-man shortlist for the top award.

Leading the nomination is Nigeria and Atalanta star Ademola Lookman, who finished 14th in the recent Ballon d'Or awards. Chancel Mbemba of DR Congo and Marseille, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco and PSG, Serhou Guirassy of Guinea and Dortmund also made the list, as shared on social media.

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Soufiane Rahimi of Morocco, William Troost-Ekong, South Africa's Ronwen Williams, Edmund Tapsoba of Burkina Faso and Amine Gouiri of Algeria complete the list.

Agyemang Badu tips Lookman for award

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that 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: YEN.com.gh