The Ballon d’Or have shown why Nigeria international Ademola Lookman made the nominees’ list for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
The 26-year-old became the second Nigerian footballer to be nominated for the award in two years after Galatasaray loanee Victor Osimhen in the 2023 edition.
The Ballon d’Or shared a clip on its social media handle highlighting Ademola Lookman’s performances which made him nominated for the award.
Lookman deservedly made the nominees’ list following his stellar campaign for club and country in the 2023-24 football season. He won the silver medal with the Nigeria national team in 2023 AFCON, playing a crucial role in the team’s run-up to the final. Also, he was Nigeria’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals and an assist.
Away from his heroics on the international scene for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Lookman played a key role in Atalanta’s Serie A and European campaign in the 2023-24 season.
He tallied 18 goals contributions, comprising 11 goals and seven assists as the club roared to a Champions League spot on the Serie A table. He also recorded a goal in the club’s Coppa Italia campaign.
Lookman’s most notable performance for the Bergamo-based outfit was in the 2023-24 Europa League campaign, especially in the final.
Lookman’s memorable 2023-24 Europa League final heroics
Ademola Lookman etched his name into the history books in the Europa League with a showstopping performance – one for the ages.
Atalanta went into the final of the second-tier club competition against an all-conquering German opponent, Bayer Leverkusen. The Nigerian footballer led the onslaught as Atalanta ended Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten.
He scored a heroic and legendary hat-trick to become the first footballer to do so in a European club competition final, helping Atalanta clinch their first European title in decades.
Lookman is expected to wrestle for the award with other nominees featuring the likes of Rodri, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and other players.
Ademola Lookman and other Nigerian footballers that have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or award
Notably, Ademola Lookman is the 8th Nigerian footballer to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. In 1995, three legendary Nigeria footballers – Daniel Omokachi, Jay Jay Okocha, and Findi George – were all nominated for the award.
In 1996, Nigeria had another representative – Kanu Nwankwo – making the list. Nwankwo was ranked 11th on the list and was replaced by Victor Ikpeba in the 1997 edition. However, the former Monaca player was ranked 31st.
In 1998, Sunday Oliseh made the list, and he happened to be the last Nigerian footballer who would be nominated for over a decade.
The deadlock was finally broken in 2023 after 15 years when Victor Osimhen, who won the Serie A for Napoli, got nominated for the award. Osimhen became the highest-ranked Nigeria footballer in the Ballon d’Or ever after he finished 8th, three places better than Nwankwo Kanu.
2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award nominees
Ademola Lookman will be contending for the award with other footballers who have been nominated for the award. Real Madrid and Brazilian footballer Vinicius Jr is leading the list of favorites for the award. The sensational forward put up a standout performance for Los Blancos in the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
He is joined by his Real Madrid teammates Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, Federico Valverde, and Toni Kroos.
Premier League Club Manchester City have the next highest representatives on the list. The likes of Rodri, Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland have been nominated. See our previous report here for more.
