Updated Rankings of Best African Players in Europa League After Ademola Lookman’s Heroics in Final

• The 2023-24 Europa League season is over as Atalanta won the title ahead of Bayer Leverkusen
• Ademola Lookman led the Italian Serie A side to glory as they won their first-ever European title
• Sports Brief ranks the best African players in this season's UEFA Europa League competition

The 2023-24 Europa League season is done and dusted, with Atalanta being crowned champions after defeating Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen in the final on Wednesday, May 22.

African players dominated the competition with their brilliant footballing talents, with the tournament's highest goal-scorer being from the region.

Sports Brief ranks the best African players in the Europa League as Ademola Lookman led Atalanta to their first-ever European title.

Ranking best African players in Europa League

Atalanta vs Leverkusen: Lookman, Other Africans Who Qualified for Europa League Final

Football

5. Mohammed Kudus (West Ham, Ghana)

The Ghanaian international was one of the best players in the competition, leading West Ham to a top-eight finish.

The former Ajax star scored five goals in nine appearances for the Hammers in the tournament but couldn't power the London side to the semi-final as they lost to Bayer Leverkusen.

4. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)

The Egyptian international was brilliant for Liverpool in the European second-tier competition despite the Reds' failure to advance past the quarter-final stage.

The former AS Roma star contributed nine goals (five goals and four assists) in nine appearances in the Europa League this season.

3. Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Nigeria)

The Nigerian international suffered his first loss as a Bayer Leverkusen player in the Europa League final, but he proved that he was one of the best players in the competition.

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The Super Eagles striker was a second-half substitute in the final but couldn't add to his goal-contribution tally. In eight appearances in the tournament, he scored five goals and provided one assist.

2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Olympique Marseille, Gabon)

The former Chelsea striker is arguably the best player in the competition and had a record-breaking campaign with Marseille.

The Gabonese international hit double digits for goals (10), providing four assists in 13 games.

1. Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Nigeria)

Lookman's performance in the final against Leverkusen put him above all his African peers in the competition.

The Nigerian winger scored a hat-trick as Atalanta thrashed the German side 3-0 in the final. The former Fulham forward was also man-of-the-match.

He had six goal contributions (five goals and one assist) in 11 appearances in the competition this season.

Lookman hits 'cold' celebration after hat-trick

Sports Brief earlier reported that Lookman wrapped up a heroic performance with a cold celebration after netting a hat-trick in the final of the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen.

The Nigeria forward ended the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions' unbeaten run with a Man of the Match display in Dublin on Wednesday evening, making history with his hat-trick.