By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria internationals Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have earned spots in the prestigious 2024 CAF FIFPRO Best XI, which recognizes the continent’s top football talent.
Lookman, the reigning CAF Africa Player of the Year, was included following his remarkable performances in the previous season, where he led Atalanta to a historic Europa League triumph.
His exceptional displays made him a standout player in European football, securing his place in the squad.
Osimhen, who continues to shine despite a summer transfer saga involving Napoli and his eventual loan move to Galatasaray, also retained his place in the Best XI.
His consistent goal-scoring form for club and country has earned him widespread recognition.
Both Nigerian forwards join the continent’s attacking elite, including Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah.
However, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong was notably absent from the list, despite his stellar performances at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Full List of the CAF FIFPRO Best XI
- Goalkeeper: Andre Onana
- Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Kalidou Koulibaly, Chancel Mbemba
- Midfielders: Mohammed Kudus, Sofyan Amrabat, Franck Kessie, Yves Bissouma
- Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
