JUST IN: Ademola Lookman Secures 14th Place in 2024 Ballon d’Or Ranking
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Super Eagles forward and Atalanta star Ademola Lookman has marked a career milestone, placing 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings. The announcement was made on Monday evening in Paris by the Ballon d’Or organizers.
This nomination is Lookman’s first for the prestigious award, recognizing his outstanding season with Serie A’s Atalanta and his contributions to Nigeria’s national team.
At 27, Lookman has delivered a string of impressive performances that brought him to global attention. His achievements with both club and country this season have solidified his reputation as one of football’s rising stars.
Lookman is also considered the frontrunner for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, boosted by his remarkable Europa League performance with Atalanta and his Ballon d’Or nomination, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
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.
After an exceptional year, Lookman earned his nomination by netting 11 goals and providing seven assists in 31 Serie A appearances, making him the sole African player in the 2024 Ballon d’Or lineup.
In 2023, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen ranked eighth in the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. Osimhen outperformed high-profile players like Karim Benzema, Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski, and Mohamed Salah, becoming the first Nigerian player to receive a Ballon d’Or nomination in 24 years. The last Nigerian to earn a nomination was former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.