Adingra or Lookman? Rank African Footballer of the Year contenders

The men’s and women’s African footballer of the year will be crowned on Monday, with five and three players respectively vying for each award.

Ademola Lookman leads the male contenders after impressing for Atalanta over the past 12 months.

The 27-year-old forward played a key role in helping the Italian club win the first European trophy in their history last season.

Former Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has set aside traditional West African rivalries and is tipping the Nigerian to pick up the trophy.

“I will support him to win because of what he’s done for Atalanta, winning the Europa League and scoring a hat-trick in the final,” Agyemang-Badu told BBC Sport Africa.

Lookman was a runner-up with the Super Eagles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with Ivory Coast clinching the trophy on home soil.

Simon Adingra set up both goals for the Elephants that February day in Abidjan.

“Adingra was absolutely outstanding – the key player in the knockout stages,” former South Africa midfielder Dean Furman told the BBC.

“He was rightly named young player the tournament and man of the match (in the final). He gets my vote.”

South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams won the golden glove at Afcon 2023, having saved four penalties in Bafana Bafana’s quarter-final shootout victory against Cape Verde.

Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi, a bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics, and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy round out the men’s shortlist.

We want you to rank the contenders for the men’s and, below, the women’s award.

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