Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has been nominated for the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or, placing him among football’s elite after a stellar season with Atalanta.
His performances last season, both at the club and international level, have earned him a well-deserved spot on the prestigious shortlist.
Lookman was instrumental in Atalanta’s historic Europa League title triumph, delivering a sensational hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
His standout achievement not only secured a first-ever European trophy for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side but also cemented Lookman’s status as a key figure in the club’s history.
The former Everton winger was also instrumental in the Super Eagles’ run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held earlier this year in Ivory Coast, scoring three crucial goals and providing an assist to help Nigeria reach the final. The Super Eagles narrowly missed the title, losing 2-1 to the host nation.
The 26-year-old is the only African player on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist, which features other notable names like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Vinicius Jr.
Notably, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have dominated the award for the past two decades, are absent from the nominees list for the first time in 21 years, marking a shift in football’s landscape.
Lookman’s nomination follows a remarkable season in which he scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists across all competitions for Atalanta. His hat-trick in the Europa League final remains the highlight of a campaign that saw him lead his team to European glory.
Lookman’s compatriot, Victor Osimhen, was named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year and finished eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, further underscoring the rising prominence of Nigerian talent on the global stage.
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