Lookman followed Osimhen’s footsteps on Monday by winning the CAF Player of the Year Award. Following his feat, many Super Eagles stars took to social media to congratulate him.

Players like William Troost-Ekong, Frank Onyeka, Victor Boniface, and many others shared pictures of the Atalanta star with nice captions.

However, Osimhen has been quite silent since Lookman won the award. The only posts on his social media page are from Galatasaray’s game against Trabzonspor on Monday.

But in a new development, a video where the 25-year-old sent Lookman a congratulatory message before the ceremony has emerged. Osimhen, who won the award last year, had nice words for the Atalanta star and urged him to enjoy his win.

“Lookman knows my thoughts towards him, I spoke with him in person, and of course, he’s clear favorite to win it,” Osimhen said, per Oga Nla Media.

“I told him to enjoy it with his family because I know how he struggled to get to where he is. It will be a big moment.

“It will be an overwhelming one for him being named the African footballer of the year. Definitely a reward for hardwork and delicious for what you’ve done in the season.

“He has impressed us, he has really put us on the map, he has given us some bragging rights, knowing fully well that he is from Nigeria. For me, he really deserves this moment, I already congratulated him few months back.”

https://twitter.com/OgaNlaMedia/status/1869064898602484133

Exclusive chat with @victorosimhen9:

Victor Osimhen message to @Alookman_ and his wishes as Lookman emerged as the winner of the #CAFAwards2024 African Footballer of the Year.

Naija pic.twitter.com/vWtecD42pP

— Adepoju Tobi Samuel (@OgaNlaMedia) December 17, 2024

Lookman has a strong relationship with Osimhen. He previously stated that the Galatasaray man speaks Yoruba with him whenever they are on international duty for Nigeria.

However, it wasn’t just his historic achievement of becoming the sixth Nigerian to bag the award that caught fans’ attention—it was the rare glimpse into his private life as he unveiled his girlfriend.

The Atalanta forward, placed 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or ranking, graced the ceremony in a striking Yoruba traditional outfit.

Yet, his outfit and award did not take the spotlight for many. Instead, a heartfelt moment between the former Everton forward and a young woman believed to be his partner sparked a flurry of curiosity among his female admirers.

Awwn pic.twitter.com/Fp9iIEUp59

— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) December 16, 2024

In a viral video shared by sports journalist Calister Ojonugwa Enejele, Lookman is seen embracing and kissing the woman, which sparked a wave of questions about her identity. Here are three must-know facts about Ademola Lookman’s girlfriend:

What is the name of Ademola Lookman’s girlfriend?

Reports suggest that Lookman’s girlfriend goes by the name Jayda D. Love. Despite the buzz surrounding her identity, she has maintained a low profile, with private social media accounts and little public information about her personal life.

What does Jayda Love do?

The girlfriend of the Atalanta forward, as reported by the Instagram page GSM, is said to be an IT specialist known for showcasing her expertise in the tech industry.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Game Set & Match (@gsm_hq)

Where is Ademola Lookman’s girlfriend from?

Jayda Love is reportedly an American from Oklahoma and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Communications in 2021.

The 26-year-old was once again on the scoresheet for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side in their 3-1 victory over Parma, which propelled them to the top of the Serie A table.

In a recent interview with News Central, Oliseh explained why he considers Lookman a great player, noting the forward’s qualities and potential on the pitch.

“Ademola Lookman is a great player,” Oliseh said. “Why I find Lookman to be a great player is because I’m looking at the qualities, the characteristics that are needed to play the position Lookman plays and how he executes them.

“He doesn’t execute them at five out of ten, he doesn’t execute them at six out of ten, he executes most of them at 7.5, 8 out of ten, so that’s why I say he’s a great player.”

The Super Eagles star has also been nominated for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, where he will compete with the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Serhou Guirassy, Ronwen Williams, and others.

Following Lookman’s impressive performances for both the Nigerian national team and his club, many consider him a strong favourite to win the prestigious award.

The CAF Award, which covers the period between January 2024 and October 2024, is slated to hold on December 16th in Marrakech, Morocco.

Olowookere led the Super Flamingos of Nigeria to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup held in the Dominican Republic.

His team delivered outstanding performances in the group stage, defeating New Zealand 4-1, Ecuador 4-0, and the host nation 1-0 to top their group with nine points.

Despite their impressive form, the Flamingos lost 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Nigeria was the only African team to reach the knockout stage.

Danjuma also guided the U-20 women’s team, the Falconets, to an impressive outing at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

The team defeated South Korea and Venezuela in the group stage but exited in the round of 16 after losing to Japan.

Nigeria was again the only African team to progress beyond the group stage, as Cameroon, Ghana, and Morocco were all eliminated early.

Olowookere and Danjuma are among the nominees for the CAF Awards alongside other prominent coaches, including:

Hassan Balla Abdousalami (Cameroon U-20)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
Ahmed Ramadan (FC Masar)
Mildred Cheche (Kenya U-17)
Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR)
Moses Adukwu (Edo Queens)
Mbayang Thiam (Aigles de la Medina)
Thinasonke Mbuli (University of the Western Cape)

The recognition follows their outstanding performances for both club and country between January and October, stamping their places among Africa’s best talents in the women’s category.

For the first time in years, reigning champion Asisat Oshoala, a multiple-time winner of the prestigious award, has missed out on a nomination.

The former Barcelona Femeni forward, who claimed the title last year, has been a dominant figure in the category since 2022.

Nigeria’s standout goalkeeper, Nnadozie, has been in phenomenal form. She played a crucial role for the Super Falcons during the 2024 Olympic qualifiers and the main tournament, earning her a chance to win the Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second consecutive time.

Her heroics also extended to her club, Paris FC, where she helped the French side reach the group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Ajibade, on the other hand, has been a pivotal figure for Atlético Madrid and the Super Falcons. The forward was instrumental in securing Nigeria’s qualification for the 2024 Olympics after a 16-year absence.

At her club, she delivered consistently, winning Player of the Month awards in March and September, which further reveal her impact.

The 2024 CAF Awards ceremony will take place on December 16 in Morocco, where Africa’s finest footballers will be celebrated.

Nnadozie and Ajibade will face tough competition from other nominees in the Women’s Player of the Year category, including:

• Sandrine Niyonkuru (Burundi / FC Masar)
• Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi / Olympique Lyonnais)
• Temwa Chawinga (Malawi / Kansas City)
• Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)
• Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa / Monterrey)
• Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa / Tigres UANL)
• Barbara Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)
• Racheal Kundananji (Zambia / Bay FC)

Napoli appear rejuvenated under former Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte. The Italian, prior to Napoli’s game against Atalanta, has won eight games and drawn one from their opening ten league games, making Victor Osimhen’s side table toppers.

With the odds clearly in Napoli’s favour, Ademola Lookman stepped up to take charge of the game, showing the world why he deserved a place in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.

The 27-year-old broke the deadlock inside ten minutes. An unresolved set-piece saw Charles De Ketelaere cross the ball into Napoli’s box, and the ball was flicked on by Martin De Roon into Ademola Lookman’s path. The former Everton man blasted the ball into the bottom corner of Meret’s goal to settle any early nerves.

https://twitter.com/tekkersfoot/status/1853042697151598679?t=2z1iG_H6zHluMrzwOteaGA&s=19

Lookman doubled La Dea’s lead on the half-hour mark. Brilliant hold up play from Charles De Ketelaere once again freed Lookman on the left hand side. The Belgian forward fed the Nigerian, and he unleashed his shot from about thirty yards out into Meret’s goal. The Napoli goalkeeper got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out.

https://twitter.com/tekkersfoot/status/1853045486153773090?t=2z1iG_H6zHluMrzwOteaGA&s=19

Lookman went off with twelve minutes left on the clock and Mario Retegui added the third for Gian Piero Gasperini’s men, scoring from a Raoul Bellanova cross.

https://twitter.com/Atalanta_BC/status/1853066282012168685?t=PN8C6bd-SrhIzy1LyzM0yA&s=19

Atalanta are now within three points of Napoli at the top of the Serie A summit, and Lookman’s strong performance puts him in pole position to win the CAF Player of the year award. The ex-RB Leipzig man has scored six goals and provided four assists in the league this term.

The Super Eagles had an impressive impressive showing at the start of the year. They had an impressive run to the final of the CAF Nations qualifiers. Unfortunately for them, they were defeated by hosts Ivory Coast.

Nigeria was under the tutelage of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro at the time, but he left after the Africa Cup of Nations in February.

Since he left, the team has been topsy-turvy, as they struggled under the former coach Finidi George, but they have picked up since Augustine Eguavoen took over in August.

Meanwhile, the highest African football ruling body CAF revealed their nominees for their 2024 awards on Thursday, and there were a lot of Nigerian elements on the list.

The Super Eagles made the cut, as they were nominated for the Team of The Year award, alongside Angola, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, and African champions Ivory Coast.

https://twitter.com/PoojaMedia/status/1849477664412733640

The winner of the category will be announced during the CAF Awards ceremony which will take place in Marrakech, Morocco in December. Ivory Coast are the favorites to win it, as they won the AFCON this year.

This is the third consecutive year the North African nation will host the prestigious event, following last year’s glittering ceremony.

CAF made the announcement on its social media platforms, stating, “It’s this time of the year again. #CAFAwards2024. December 16. Marrakech, Morocco. Mark your calendars.”

https://twitter.com/CAF_Online/status/1849390378153365636

The annual CAF Awards celebrate outstanding performances by players and teams in both club and national competitions.

The African Player of the Year in the men’s and women’s categories remains the highlight of the night.

Victor Osimhen, the current holder of the men’s award, secured his first honour last year after an exceptional season with Napoli in Serie A.

However, the Nigerian striker is likely to relinquish the title following a comparatively quiet 2023/24 season with both Napoli and the Nigerian national team.

Among the favourites to succeed him is fellow Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, who enjoyed a stellar season with Atalanta and the Super Eagles.

Lookman played a pivotal role in helping Nigeria reach the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and inspired Atalanta to their historic Europa League triumph.

Another strong contender is Victor Boniface, whose remarkable form for Bayer Leverkusen saw him lead the German side to their first-ever league and cup double.

Other notable names include Morocco’s Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz and Borussia Dortmund’s prolific striker Serhou Guirassy.

In addition to the Men’s Player of the Year award, other categories include Youth Player of the Year, Club of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and Coach of the Year.

The mother of Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, has been spotted mirroring her daughter as she displays her goalkeeper skills, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Falcons star has been excellent for her club and country, earning her the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Goalkeeper of the Year in the women’s category.

Notable for her success this year was when a second-half penalty stop by Chiamaka Nnadozie proved crucial against a dominant Canadian side at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

During the holiday season, many football players spend time with their families. Although it cannot be said if it is a recent video, a video shared on Nnadozie’s Instagram page showcased her mother showcasing her goalkeeping skills.

In their video, her mother could be spotted with the goalkeeper’s gloves, trying to save a ball kicked to her. Another scene showed when Nnadozie was teaching her mother how to save the ball.

Watch the video here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Soccernet (@soccernet_ng)

The Super Falcons of Nigeria have been slated to tackle Cameroon in February for the third round of the CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.

Chiamaka is expected to play a crucial role for the Super Falcons, as they will be looking to secure a ticket to tackle at the upcoming 2023 Olympic tournament slated to take place in Paris, France.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen received advice from Super Eagles legend Emmanuel Amuneke to maintain focus and composure for continued success, Soccernet.ng reports.

Osimhen, after a stellar performance with Serie A champions Napoli and an impressive goal-scoring spree during the 2022-23 season, secured the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player Of The Year award.

In conversation with Tribal Football, Amuneke praised Osimhen’s representation of African talent on a global scale while emphasising the importance of sustained focus.

He also acknowledged the emergence of promising young African talents in Europe, such as Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr and Milan’s Samu Chukwueze, alongside Napoli’s Osimhen.

“Yeah, we have seen already there are some excellent young (African) players who are currently playing in Europe,

“For example, we have a Senegal player called (Pape Matar) Sarr who is playing for Tottenham, there’s (Samu) Chukwueze at Milan. And of course, Osimhen at Napoli. I think in the future we will see new names and new faces.” Amuneke said.

Amuneke expressed optimism about witnessing new faces shaping the future of African football. His advice for Osimhen was clear: “He just needs to stay calm and focused. The good things will come to him.”

With high expectations for Osimhen’s performance at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Nigerian fans eagerly anticipate the striker’s goal-scoring prowess, providing moments of celebration.”