Super Eagles duo, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have been shortlisted for the 2024 International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) Men’s World Best Player.
The duo were among the 30 players nominated for the prestigious award this year. The list was released on Thursday.
Lookman was nominated on the back of his impressive displays for Nigeria and Atalanta in this year.
Lookman was the star of Atalanta’s UEFA Europa League success last season.
The talented winger scored a hat-trick in Gian Piero Gasperini’s side final victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
The 27-year-old also scored three goals in seven appearances for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Osimhen, on his part, was on target 15 times in 25 league appearances for Napoli last season.
The 25-year-old is currently on loan at Turkish Super Lig champions, Galatasaray.
The Super Eagles stars will face fierce competition from last year’s winner Erling Haaland and Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior.
Also nominated for the award are Bayern Munich’s German sensation Jamal Musiala, Manchester City’s Rodri, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
Real Madrid has the highest number of nominees – 7 – ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal with four, and Bayern Munich with three.
The IFFHS World Best Player award is one of the most recognized accolades in football, honoring the best-performing players from across the globe each year. The winner will be announced later this year, with many eyes on Haaland to see if he can defend his crown.
