Hervé Penot, a French journalist from “L’Équipe,” recently shared his thoughts on the crowning of Nigerian Ademola Lookman as the best African player of 2024, a recognition he believes is well-earned due to Lookman’s impressive performances both for his national team and in Serie A with Atalanta over the past year.
Penot highlighted Lookman’s pivotal role in leading Nigeria to the final of the African Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where he scored key goals that solidified his place among the tournament’s top three players.
Penot, who specializes in African football, also noted Lookman’s significant contributions to Atalanta’s historic Europa League triumph. He scored a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen—a team that had been viewed as nearly unbeatable—and was instrumental throughout other knockout matches, alongside his stellar Serie A season.
Commenting on Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi’s absence from the CAF Player Of The Year Ward winners, Penot stated, “Hakimi had a great season with Paris Saint-Germain, but the AFCON didn’t go his way, especially after Morocco’s early exit from the competition. His missed penalty against South Africa was particularly crucial, as it could have changed the game’s outcome and possibly led to Morocco’s advancement and a chance at the title.”
While acknowledging that even top players can miss penalties, Penot asserted that such moments can affect the voting for the best player, particularly when they lead to a significant elimination.
He affirmed that Hakimi is currently regarded as the best right-back in the world and is continually improving at PSG. However, he mentioned that the positional difference plays a role in the assessment, as Lookman’s role as a forward enables him to score and create more goals, which can overshadow a defender’s contributions, regardless of Hakimi’s offensive style.
In closing, Penot emphasized Lookman’s stellar performances throughout the year on both club and national stages. He commended Hakimi’s overall excellence but pointed out that the Moroccan team did not achieve collective success in the AFCON. Moreover, PSG has been grappling with challenges in the Champions League, facing the threat of elimination.
Penot also reminisced about Hakimi’s impressive career, having played for illustrious clubs like Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and now PSG—organizations with a global reputation that exceeds those of Lookman’s teams. Ultimately, he remarked, “The award celebrates the performances in 2024, and Lookman has certainly distinguished himself with outstanding achievements for both his club and country this year.”
