Anger in Morocco over Lookman beating Atlas Lions captain Hakimi to African Player of the Year

Moroccan football experts have reacted to Atlas Lions skipper Achraf Hakimi missing out on the 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

Atalanta's Nigeria international Ademola Lookman claimed the African Player of the Year title, succeeding Victor Osimhen at the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday evening.

Lookman inspired Atalanta to win the Europa League, scoring a historic hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the showpiece, the first title won by the Italian club in Europe. 

The 27-year-old also played a key role as Nigeria reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, registering three goals and an assist and he was named in the official Team of the Tournament.

Reports from Morocco and France over the weekend suggested that Hakimi was the frontrunner for the African Footballer of the Year accolade, but it was later announced that Lookman had won the most prestigious individual award on the African continent.

Some Moroccan football journalists considered it unfair that Lookman was chosen over Hakimi as the best African player. 

Moroccan sports analyst Tawfiq Al-Sanhaji told 365scores: "It is a great regret for all Moroccan fans, and for all those who follow football in Morocco, because Achraf Hakimi presented distinguished levels throughout the year with the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain."

Abdel Salam Kourahi criticized the Confederation of African Football, saying: "Perhaps there were understandings, calculations and divisions within CAF that tipped the scales in favour of the Nigerian over the Moroccan international at the last minute."

Some Moroccan football fans pointed out that Yassine Bounou played a crucial role in Sevilla's Europa League triumphs in 2020 and 2023, yet he was overlooked for the African Footballer of the Year award.

Lookman's African Player of the Year win marks the first time in three decades that Nigeria has produced back-to-back winners of the men's award,  since Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba were honored in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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