Why Coppa Italia Final Loss Could Affect Ademola Lookman’s Africa POTY Dreams

• Atalanta’s loss in the Coppa Italia final could affect Ademola Lookman’s dreams
• The Super Eagles winger is in the running for the Africa Player of the Year award
• Lookman has now lost two major final matches with Nigeria and Atalanta in 2024

Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, is one of the top contenders for the 2024 Africa Player of the Year award owing to his brilliance for Atalanta and the Super Eagles.

The 26-year-old has had an amazing 2024 campaign, winning a silver medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after the Super Eagles lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the final.

According to Africa Sport, Lookman’s achievements also include playing a crucial role in Atalanta's advancement to the finals of both the Copa Italia and the Europa League this season.

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The Nigerian winger, who was named in the AFCON 2023 Best XI, has been tipped to replace his compatriot, Victor Osimhen, as the CAF-awarded African Player of the Year for 2024.

Lookman has contributed 12 goals and created eight assists in all competitions this season for Atalanta

How Coppa Italia loss can affect Lookman

However, Atalanta’s loss in the Coppa Italia final to Juventus on Wednesday, May 15, has dented Lookman’s chances of ending the year as Africa’s best player.

After suffering heartbreak in the AFCON final, the Nigerian winger endured another bitter moment in the Italian Cup final after Juve secured a slim 1-0 victory against his team, All Nigeria Soccer reports.

To win the Africa Player of the Year award, winning trophies put you in the driver's seat, and for Lookman, he has failed in two finals already this year, crippling his chances of winning the prestigious award for the first time in his career.

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2024 Africa POTY Power Rankings

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a top candidate for the prestigious African Player of the Year award following his excellent season with Marseille.

Two-time winner of the CAF top prize, Mohamed Salah, is also in contention for the 2024 award, while Nigeria has two players - Victor Boniface and Lookman - vying for the gong.