African Ballon d’Or 2024: CAF has five contenders and includes Hakimi

Just four days prior to the CAF Awards ceremony, scheduled on December 16, 2011 in Marrakech The Confederation of African Football  will make an abrupt announcement. This will increase the suspense surrounding the announcement of the African Player of the Year. It is also known as”the” African Ballon d’Or. 

The following day, after the announcement of the three runners-up in various different categories CAF offered footballers the opportunity to meet for 7.30 p.m. GMT to reveal the final contenders for the women’s and men’s categories.   

In the men’s category instead of three expected finalist, CAF surprised everyone by selecting the same five contestants named on the 18th of November: Simon Adingra (Cote d’Ivoire), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Ademola Lookman (Nigeria) and Ronwen Williams (South Africa). 

For the purpose of explaining this shock, CAF stressed that “although there are few criteria left to decide between the candidates still in the running, the organizers have chosen to keep the five contenders until the ceremony. This additional suspense will make the evening in Marrakech even more thrilling, promising one of the most memorable competitions in the history of the prize.”