The countdown to the prestigious 2024 CAF Awards has officially begun! The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled the final nominees in the men’s categories for this year’s ceremony. Scheduled to take place in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, 2024, the awards will honour the best in African football, recognizing stellar performances from players, coaches, and teams across both club and national competitions between January and October 2024.

As African football continues to rise in global prominence, this year’s CAF Awards nominations are reflective of the talent and excellence demonstrated on the field. Let’s take a closer look at the top five nominees in each category.

2024 CAF Awards: Player of the Year

The race for the coveted Player of the Year award is highly competitive, with standout performances from players across Europe’s top leagues and the African continent. The nominees are:

Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire / Brighton & Hove Albion)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

Goalkeeper of the Year

The Goalkeeper of the Year category highlights some of Africa’s best shot-stoppers, both in club and international football. The nominees are:

Andre Onana (Cameroon / Manchester United)
Yahia Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire / Angers SCO)
Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt / Al Ahly)
Stanley Nwabali (Nigeria / Chippa United)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

Interclub Player of the Year

This category recognizes exceptional individual performances in African club football. The nominees are:

Issoufou Dayo (Burkina Faso / RS Berkane)
Ahmed Sayed ‘Zizo’ (Egypt / Zamalek)
Hussein El Shahat (Egypt / Al Ahly)
Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt / Al Ahly)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

Coach of the Year

The Coach of the Year award celebrates the strategic brilliance and leadership qualities of top coaches across Africa. The nominees are:

Pedro Goncalves (Angola)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)
Sebastien Desabre (DR Congo)
Marcel Koller (Al Ahly)
Hugo Broos (South Africa)

Young Player of the Year

The Young Player of the Year award honors emerging talent, with nominees showing immense potential and impact in their early careers. The nominees are:

Karim Konate (Cote d’Ivoire / Salzburg)
Oumar Diakite (Cote d’Ivoire / Reims)
Yankuba Minteh (Gambia / Brighton & Hove Albion)
Eliesse Ben Seghir (Morocco / AS Monaco)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

Club of the Year

This category celebrates the best-performing clubs in African football. The nominees are:

Al Ahly (Egypt)
Zamalek (Egypt)
RS Berkane (Morocco)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)

National Team of the Year

The National Team of the Year award acknowledges the most successful teams in international football. The nominees are:

Cote d’Ivoire
DR Congo
Nigeria
South Africa
Sudan

The 2024 CAF Awards are shaping up to be a celebration of African football at its finest. As the nominees showcase the continent’s brightest talent, the awards ceremony will undoubtedly be an exciting event for football fans across the world.

The awards also mark an important occasion to reflect on the incredible strides African football has made on the global stage, with many players and teams continuing to rise to prominence in Europe and beyond.

The winners in each category will be announced during the ceremony in Marrakech, with football legends, current stars, and fans eagerly awaiting the recognition of the continent’s best.