'CAF made me believe I won it' - Hakimi breaks silence after losing African POTY to Lookman

Paris Saint-Germain fullback, Achraf Hakimi, has broken his silence after losing the African Player of the Year award to Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman.

The prestigious award was presented at a ceremony held in Marrakesh, Morocco, where Lookman was recognized for his outstanding performances with Atalanta and the Nigerian national team.

Lookman played a pivotal role in Atalanta's UEFA Europa League triumph, scoring a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

He also led the Super Eagles to the final of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the final.

This season, Lookman has continued his fine form, netting eleven goals and providing five assists, helping Atalanta climb to the top of the Serie A table and pursue a spot in the quarterfinals of the new UEFA Champions League format.

However, the decision to award Lookman the African Best of the Year was met with mixed reactions, particularly from Moroccan fans who had anticipated Hakimi's victory following his Ligue 1 title win with PSG.

According to multiple press reports from Morocco including al3omk, Hakimi voiced his displeasure with the outcome during PSG's victory over Monaco on Wednesday night.

Hakimi was seen on camera talking with Ilyas Ben Seghir, expressing his surprise at the results.

He expressed his frustration to Elias Ben Seghir in French, saying, "They (CAF) made me believe that I won it,” referring to the decision to award the honor to Lookman.

With this win, Lookman became the sixth Nigerian player to earn the African Player of the Year title, solidifying Nigeria's status as the country with the most recipients of this prestigious award.

Adeyemi Adewale

Photo Credit: Instagram

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