Dec 17, 2024 - 10:31
By guardian.ng

APOTY 2024: Ekong congratulates Ademola Lookman

Super Eagles skipper, Troost Ekong has congratulated Ademola Lookman for winning the 2023/24 African Footballer of the Year awards at the just-concluded CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday night.

Ekong took to his verified X account on Monday to congratulate his Super Eagles teammates with a star emoji describing the Atalanta forward as the worthy winner of the award
”Deserved brother! ️ We are all proud of you!” Ekong wrote

Lookman, 27, scored a hat trick in the Europa League final to earn the Serie A club their first-ever European silverware, and only the second major trophy in their 117-year history.

The former RB Leipzig, Leicester, and Fulham forward also scored three times as Nigeria reached the final of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were edged out by Sebastian Haller’s late goal for the Ivory Coast in the final.

Lookman scored 17 goals and contributed 10 assists in 45 games across all competitions for Atalanta in the 2023-24 season and has made a similarly productive start to this campaign, finding the net 11 times in 19 club games as Gian Piero Gasperini’s team sit two points clear of Napoli at the summit of Serie A.

“This award is a blessing, to be recognised as best player in Africa is something incredible,” Lookman said as he picked up the trophy., “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.”,

The other nominees for the gong were Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy, and Brighton’s Ivorian winger Simon Adingra.