3 days ago
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Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman secured votes from 17 countries across three continents to finish 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings with 82 points, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
In a voting system that featured journalists from FIFA’s top 100 ranked nations, the Atalanta star received his strongest backing from his homeland Nigeria, where respected journalist Sam Audu awarded him maximum points by placing him first in his selection.
The voting process required journalists to select their top 10 players, with points distributed on a scale of 15 for first place, 12 for second, 10 for third, and descending values of eight, seven, five, four, three, two, and one for the remaining positions.
Surprisingly, Lookman failed to secure any points from Italy, where he plies his trade. Sky Sports’ Paolo Condo, Italy’s designated voter, overlooked the Nigeria international in his selection.
However, the 27-year-old found considerable support across Africa, as Ivory Coast ranked him fifth, while Ghana placed him eighth, and Mali positioned him ninth. Multiple African nations, including Burkina Faso, Zambia, Senegal, Uganda, and South Africa, all awarded him points with 10th-place votes. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea showed stronger support, both ranking him seventh.
In Europe, Greece emerged as Lookman’s strongest advocate, placing him second – his highest ranking from any European nation. North Macedonia and Ireland both positioned him eighth, while Portugal recognized his performances with a seventh-place vote.
The Nigerian forward’s influence extended beyond Africa and Europe, garnering votes from Trinidad and Tobago, who placed him 10th, and the United Arab Emirates, who ranked him seventh.
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