Ademola Lookman becomes third Nigerian to break into the Ballon d’Or top 15 – after Kanu Nwankwo in 1996 and Victor Osimhen in 2023.
Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, has been named the 14th best male footballer in the world.
The 27-year-old was named among the 15 best players in the world on Monday at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
The winger is the only African to make the 30-player shortlist for the 2024 Ballon d’Or prize. He is the second Nigerian to be nominated for the prize in two years.
In 2023, Victor Osimhen became the first Nigerian to break into the top 10 of the award — finishing eighth overall.
Before that, Kanu Nwankwo was the last Super Eagles player to crack the top 15 of the coveted individual prize, ranking 11th in 1996.
Lookman placed ahead of Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba on the 2024 Ballon d’Or ranking.
The winger scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions last season for Atalanta, which retained its status as one of the best in Serie A.
He scored a hattrick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, winning Atalanta’s first-ever European title.
Lookman was one of Nigeria’s best players at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. He scored three goals as the Eagles won silver at the tournament. He was also named in the competition’s best XI alongside captain Willian Troost-Ekong.
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