Super Eagles and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has reached an impressive career milestone, securing 14th place in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings. The announcement was made Monday evening in Paris, France, by the Ballon d’Or organisers.
The Nigerian international, who competes in Serie A with Atalanta, received his first nomination for this prestigious award.
At 27, Lookman has turned heads with standout performances that have propelled him onto the world stage. His exceptional contributions for both club and country this season have solidified his status as one of the top football talents in 2024.
Lookman is widely favoured to claim the 2024 CAF Player of the Year title, especially after his remarkable Europa League performance with Atalanta and his Ballon d’Or recognition.
He made history last season as the first player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition final during Atalanta’s victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Lookman’s Ballon d’Or nomination reflects an extraordinary year in which he scored 11 goals and provided seven assists across 31 Serie A matches, making him the only African player nominated for the 2024 award.
In the previous year, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen ranked eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris.
Osimhen outperformed notable players such as Karim Benzema, Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski, and Mohamed Salah in the 2023 rankings. This achievement made him the first Nigerian footballer to be shortlisted for the award in 24 years, since former Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu’s nomination in 1999.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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