The election was announced this Monday, during the CAF Awards 2024 awards gala.
A total of 11 competitors were competing in this category, with the Angolan beating names like Kevin Pina, Sébastien Haller, Abdul Aziz Issah, among many others.
In other categories, the Africa Coach of the Year award was given to Emerse Faé.
Emerse Faé, who caught a disbelieving Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations to lead them to the continental title, was named the best African coach of 2024, while Nigerian Ademola Lookman was the best football player.
Frenchman Jean-Louis Gasset was fired after the 'elephants' 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, still in the group stage, with his assistant Emerse Faé being appointed as interim coach: Ivory Coast's trajectory has changed radically and it was completed with the title, celebrated at home.
Pedro Gonçalves, as coach of Angola, and José Gomes, as coach of the Egyptians Zamalek, were among the 10 finalists for the sceptre, announced at a ceremony that took place in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The female distinction went to Moroccan Lamia Boumehdi, who led TP Mazembe, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, to their first African champion title: by drag, her team was also distinguished as the best.
Nigerian Ademola Lookman is the football player of the year, after helping Atalanta to triumph in the Europa League, scoring all three goals in the final in the 3-0 success over Bayer Leverkusen, in addition to the important role he played in the national team, coached by José Peseiro, CAN finalist.
Barbra Banda, from Zambia, an American athlete from Orlando Pride, won the women's award.