A three-man shortlist for the CAF Men's Player of the Year has been flying around on social media, but it has been debunked as it was not from the organisation's official channels.

Though the list has been debunked, it is undeniable that Atalanta and Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman will be on the official list whenever it is released.

Lookman is regarded as the top contender for this year's award to succeed his compatriot Victor Osimhen as the number one footballer in Africa.

Legit highlights three key reasons why Lookman deserves the award.

1. Europa League final history

As noted by uefa.com, he made history as the first-ever player to net a hat trick in the UEFA Europa League final when he scored three goals for Atalanta to beat Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 final, winning the Bergamo-based club's first silverware in 61 years.

His three goals handed the German champions their only loss of the season, denying Xabi Alonso's team the opportunity to complete a clean sweep of all competitions they participated in.

2. AFCON 2023 performance

The 27-year-old was one of Nigeria's best players at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they reached the final but lost 2-1 to host country Ivory Coast. He scored three goals and was named in the team of the tournament.

3. Only African Ballon d'Or nominee

His impressive year earned him a Ballon d'Or nomination. As noted by ESPN Africa, he is the only African footballer on the 30-man shortlist, indicating that he's globally recognised as the number one footballer on the continent in the year under review.