Moroccan football fans and pundits are unimpressed after their homeboy Achraf Hakimi missed out on the 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award.
With the ceremony held in Marrakech, Hakimi arrived at the venue alongside his family, including his mother, fueling hopes among fans that he would be announced the winner.
However, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman was named the player of the year, which immediately sparked anger and frustration in the North African country.
As Lookman made his way to receive the gong, the crowd continued to chant Hakimi’s name, claiming the Paris Saint-Germain star deserved the prize.
Many believe the defender did more than enough to win the main award in the men’s category.
Sports analyst Mohamed El Hajoui told Morocco World News:
“Regarding Hakimi’s performance and his continued brilliance, he deserves the award.
“If we compare this to last year, even Bounou had an award for the same European competition and made a bigger impact at the national level contributing to the first ever African team reaching the World Cup semi finals.”
Hajoui admitted that although awarding Lookman seem logical, he stated that the decision raises questions about the logic and criteria CAF is using.
On Social media, @Mag212News reacted on X:
“Achraf Hakimi deserved CAF Player of the Year, but once again, CAF shows its corruption and bias.
“How can a world-class performer like Hakimi be ignored? African football deserves transparency and fairness.”
@nishortbaba added:
“Hakimi’s contributions at PSG and Morocco’s World Cup success deserved CAF recognition. Transparency in selection processes is urgently needed.”
@Morrison_litie said:
“The omission of stars like Hakimi and Onana creates perceptions of bias in CAF awards. African football deserves a transparent system for recognizing excellence.”
Ademola Lookman reacts in Yoruba
Legit earlier reported that Ademola Lookman was quick to respond in Yoruba after winning the prestigious 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award in Morocco.
The Atalanta of Italy forward won the coveted prize ahead of Achraf Hakimi and three other players.
Lookman arrived at the ceremony in the company of his family members, including his father and mother.
