Real Madrid forward, Brahim Diaz is now leading the race for the 2024 African Player of the Year award.
The Morocco international, who switched allegiance from Spain this year, would battle the likes of Ademola Lookman for the award.
Diaz, who once played for Premier League champions Manchester City, came back to Real Madrid in 2023-24 after shining while on loan at AC Milan.
Diaz, 24, was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother, and played for the European country until the U-21 level.
Diario AS reports that the former Spain U21 star is now a frontrunner to succeed Nigeria and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as the 2024 African Player of the Year.
He has played two friendly games and two qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup since switching allegiance.
Diaz scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in 44 appearances across competitions for Los Blancos last season.
He helped Carlo Ancelotti’s side win the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Supercopa de Espana at the end of the campaign.
Diaz will battle Nigeria’s Lookman, who became the first African player to score a hat-trick in a major European final, for the award.
After helping Nigeria to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, Lookman scored thrice for Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Diaz emerges favourite to win African Footballer of the Year