Ademola Lookman has been named African Footballer of the Yr for the very first time after a stellar 12 months with Atalanta in Serie A.

Lookman beat the likes of the Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi to scoop the accolade in Marrakesh.

He additionally grew to become the seventh Nigerian to win the award after Nwankwo Kanu (two), Victor Ikpeba, Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike and Victor Osimhen.

Lookman loved an unbelievable second season below Gian Piero Gasperini, registering 27 purpose involvements (17 targets, 10 assists) in 45 appearances in all competitions.

Three of these targets got here within the Europa League remaining, together with his first profession hat-trick incomes Atalanta a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen as they lifted their first European title.

He additionally grew to become solely the second participant to attain a treble within the remaining of a serious European competitors for an Italian aspect, after Pierino Prati for Milan towards Ajax in 1969.

And Lookman has continued his positive kind into this marketing campaign as Atalanta sit on the summit of the Serie A standings.

This season, solely Atalanta team-mate Mateo Retegui (15) and Marcus Thuram (14) have been concerned in additional targets in Serie A than Lookman (12).

His late winner towards Milan earlier this month noticed Atalanta equal their report variety of consecutive wins in Serie A, earlier than surpassing that complete towards Cagliari final day out.

On the worldwide scene, Lookman was named within the crew of the event on the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three targets because the Tremendous Eagles completed as runners-up.

He was additionally the one African on this 12 months’s males’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, ending 14th.

Orlando Delight striker Barbra Banda made historical past as the primary Zambian to win the ladies’s prize, ending forward of Moroccan Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie.