CAF POTY Awards: Predicting the Final Rankings for the Prestigious Prize

Nov 30, 2024 | Entertainment, News


  • The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football award ceremony is gradually heralding the scenes
  • The Men’s Player of the Year award category currently appears to be the most talked-about among the various prizes up for grabs
  • We highlight the possible final ranking of the Men’s POTY category as the showpiece, slated for Marrakech, Morocco, draws closer

The 2024 edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards ceremony is fast becoming a topical issue, and the discussion about who will claim the highly coveted Men’s Player of the Year (POTY) prize is generating significant debate.

This award, historically won by some of Africa’s greatest football icons, will see its 2024 edition fiercely contested by five of the continent’s top talents.

Victor Osimhen wins the CAF POTY award
Victor Osimhen makes a speech at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards 2023 in the Moroccan city of Marrakech on December 11, 2023. Image: Abu Adem Muhammed.
Source: Getty Images

CAF recently trimmed its initial 10-man shortlist to a final five, featuring Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.

Read also

CAF Player of the Year: How winners are chosen as Lookman targets prestigious prize

The selection has sparked lively discussions among fans, with differing opinions on how these stars should rank when the winners are announced at the Marrakech gala.

While many fans and stakeholders are backing Lookman as the favourite, CAF has outlined the criteria used to determine the winners, adding another layer of intrigue to the competition.

As the December 16 awards ceremony approaches, we take a closer look at the finalists and predict how the CAF Men’s POTY rankings might unfold.

Predicted final rankings of the CAF POTY award

Given that CAF’s voting panel places significant emphasis on each player’s performances and contributions throughout the calendar year, we have compiled a shortlist predicting the potential final rankings for the award.

5. Simon Adingra

The Brighton and Hove Albion forward ranks fifth in our final standings, especially considering his inclusion among the top five nominees for the award, which is, quite frankly, the most contentious.

Read also

CAF POTY favourite Lookman, Ekong receive FIFA Best Award nominations

The former Union Saint-Gilloise standout has primarily been used as a substitute at his club and made only a handful of appearances during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), albeit in key matches that contributed to his team’s victory.

Since that triumph in February, the dynamic winger has had a notably quiet season for both club and country. While no disrespect is intended, Adingra’s impact on the pitch has been minimal post-AFCON, which is why he finds himself at the bottom of our final rankings.

4. Ronwen Williams

We predict the 32-year-old shot-stopper will finish fourth in the final standings.

The South African goalkeeper played a key role in guiding Bafana Bafana to third place at the AFCON, with his penalty heroics being a standout moment.

Williams was equally pivotal for his club, Mamelodi Sundowns, helping them secure the DSTV Premier League title.

Read also

Atalanta sets new asking price for Ademola Lookman as European giants target CAF POTY nominee

3. Hakimi Achraf

The 26-year-old is predicted to finish third in our final rankings. Hakimi experienced a rollercoaster 2024 calendar year, marked by both triumphs and setbacks.

On the positive side, the versatile full-back helped Paris Saint-Germain secure both the league and cup titles and also earned an Olympic bronze medal with Morocco.

However, his journey with the national team was far from flawless. Hakimi missed a crucial penalty as Morocco, one of the tournament favourites, were knocked out by South Africa in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Despite this disappointment, the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists have bounced back impressively, embarking on a 10-match unbeaten streak. However, it’s worth noting that the Moroccan team often struggles in high-pressure situations—something that mirrors the struggles of his club, Paris Saint-Germain, in similar scenarios.

On a personal level, Hakimi continues to be one of Europe’s finest full-backs, earning him a well-deserved third place in our rankings.

Read also

Former Real Madrid defender talks about winning CAF POTY prize ahead of Lookman

2. Serhou Guirassy

The Borussia Dortmund forward, who has been in exceptional form, is expected to finish second in our final rankings.

Guirassy had a breakout season with VfB Stuttgart, scoring an impressive 30 goals and providing 3 assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances. On the international stage, he led Guinea to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, although his personal contributions in terms of goals were minimal.

However, Guirassy has continued his remarkable run at Dortmund, netting 10 goals and adding 3 assists in his first 14 appearances for his new club.

While he is a strong contender for the award, his chances of winning could be hindered by his relatively underwhelming performances with the national team.

1. Ademola Lookman

We predict the Nigerian attacker will claim the highly coveted award on the night. The 27-year-old, who was the only African player to be nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, spearheaded his club side, Atalanta’s charge to a maiden silverware in about 70 years when he led them to the Europa League title with a hat-trick against an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side.

Read also

Arne Slot’s Unusual Superstition Revealed Amid Liverpool’s Stellar Season

Lookman, who also led the Super Eagles of Nigeria to the final of the AFCON, racked up four goals throughout the competition.

The former RB Leipzig forward has since shown no signs of slowing down, as he has kicked off his current campaign with Atalanta in staggering fashion, racking up nine goals and five assists in his first 15 appearances for the club so far.

Lookman remains the clear favourite for the award, but it’s important to note that the final decision on who CAF crowns as the Player of the Year on December 16 will depend heavily on the voting panel, as emphasised by CAF.

Hakimi speaks on winning CAF award

Legit.ng in another report detailed Hakimi’s comments on the possibility of winning the CAF Player of the Year award.

The PSG star expressed that while winning the highly coveted prize would be a great honour, he also acknowledged that simply being nominated for the award is already a significant milestone in his career.

Source: Legit.ng





Source link

Recent Post

Just In: Tears as Former Kogi Deputy Speaker Dies in Abuja

Just In: Tears as Former Kogi Deputy Speaker Dies in Abuja

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events FCT, Abuja - The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Enema Paul, has passed on.The Speaker of the state...

Recent Event Post

FASTEST NIGHT

FASTEST NIGHT

FASTEST NIGHT is an electrifying music event designed to celebrate talent, speed, fashion and the culture of contemporary youth & music.

Lagos Breakthrough Weekend – Finishing The Year Strong

Lagos Breakthrough Weekend – Finishing The Year Strong

Be sure to join Dr Sola Fola-Alade at our Lagos Breakthrough Night on 15th DEC 2024 and at 11am on Sunday 15th of Dec. Come prepared to experience the power and presence of God like never before. Invite your family and friends and make it a date with destiny! You can...

Post you may also like

Just In: Tears as Former Kogi Deputy Speaker Dies in Abuja

Just In: Tears as Former Kogi Deputy Speaker Dies in Abuja

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events FCT, Abuja - The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Enema Paul, has passed on.The Speaker of the state...

Terry Apala: How Wizkid’s verse transformed my career

Singer Terry Apala has expressed his gratitude to Wizkid for featuring on the remix of his song “Apala Disco.” In an interview with Pulse, Apala revealed that Wizkid’s verse significantly The post Terry Apala: How Wizkid’s verse transformed my...

Sign In

Register

Reset Password

Please enter your username or email address, you will receive a link to create a new password via email.