Ademola Lookman was crowned the newest African Footballer of the Year, and it prompted a statement from one of his final challengers, Serhou Guirassy.

Lookman edged out competition from four other contenders to win the Golden Ball, including Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi, who was initially rumoured to have won.

The victory for the Super Eagles star came two years and nine months after switching his international allegiance to represent Nigeria, having played for England at youth levels.

Guirassy speaks after CAF POTY loss

Guinean national team forward Serhou Guirassy has published a statement on his social media pages after he did not win the CAF Men's Player of the Year Award.

“Dear brothers and sisters, even if the African Ballon d'Or was not awarded to me this year, this does not take away the pride I feel in having carried high the colours of our dear Guinea. I would like above all to thank you, family, teammates, coaches, friends, you, my people, for your unwavering support and your trust,” he wrote on X.

Chers frères et sœurs,

Même si le Ballon d'Or africain ne m'a pas été décerné cette année, cela n'enlève en rien la fierté que je ressens d'avoir porté haut les couleurs de notre chère Guinée. Je tiens avant tout à vous remercier, famille, coéquipiers, coachs, amis, vous, mon… pic.twitter.com/GWRt5RNw5V

— Serhou Guirassy (@Guirassy_19) December 17, 2024

“Your love, your strength and your solidarity carry me every day. I am convinced that this unity and this fraternity must be preserved and maintained in all circumstances. Together, we can accomplish great things.

“This is only the beginning. I will continue to give the best of myself, for you, for our country, and to inspire all young Guineans who dream big. Thank you again for everything 🇬🇳.”

As noted by Transfermarkt, Guirassy had an impressive season, scoring 30 goals in 30 games in all competitions, helping VfB Stuttgart finish second on the Bundesliga table and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

His exploits put him on the radar of many top European clubs before securing a move to Borussia Dortmund, even though the move nearly collapsed due to his fitness concerns.