Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman and Zambia’s Barbra Banda were crowned Men's and Women's African Players of the Year at the CAF Awards ceremony held in Morocco on Monday night.
Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, earned the accolade after leading his club to Europa League triumph in May, scoring a historic hat-trick in the final.
Reflecting on his journey, Lookman said, “Four years ago my career felt down but now I’m here as the best player in Africa.
Don’t let your failures stop your dreams.” Meanwhile, Banda's stellar performances on the field earned her the prestigious women’s title.
Three months earlier in the Africa Cup of Nations, Lookman scored three goals and helped propel Nigeria to a runner-up finish.
He is the second Nigerian player to win the award in two years, following striker Victor Osimhen.
It was another achievement for Banda, who was named the National Women´s Soccer League championship MVP after leading the Orlando Pride to its first title.