Plaudits as Lookman becomes 8th Nigerian Ballon d’Or nominee

Ademola Lookman’s nomination for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award has left a plethora of congratulatory messages in its wake, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 26-year-old Nigeria forward was named among 29 other players across the globe with outstanding performances during the year under review, becoming the 8th Nigerian to list for the coveted award after Finidi George (1995), Daniel Amokachi (1995), Austin Okocha (1995), Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997), Sunday Oliseh (1998), and Victor Osimhen (2023).

The recognition is by no means surprising after his remarkable 2023/24 season with Atalanta, for whom he found the net with reckless abandon.

He was a major protagonist in his club’s triumphant UEFA Europa League campaign, with the highpoint of his adventure being a hat-trick that won them the trophy in the final at the Dublin Arena in May, as the Italians claimed the scalp of then unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen.

It was the first career hat-trick for Lookman, who also became the first player to score a hat-trick in a one-legged European final since Pierino Prati in 1969.

He was also a consistent top performer for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where his goals propelled the Super Eagles to the final, where they lost to the host nation. Lookman scored both goals for Nigeria in their 2–0 win over Cameroon in the round of 16, before scoring their only goal in a 1–0 win over Angola in the quarterfinal.

His recognition is being widely celebrated, with several ex-Nigeria internationals and past nominees for the prestigious prize, as well as several other notable global football icons, sharing in the excitement on social media.

Former Nigeria coach and nominee for the 1998 Ballon d’Or, Sunday Oliseh, welcomed Lookman to the exclusive list.

“Congratulations to Ademola Lookman for joining this exclusive list of Nigerians who were worldwide acclaimed! Naija’s all-time magnificent 7 just became the magnificent 8. Delighted and welcome to the Club Lil Bro,” wrote the former Super Eagles skipper.

Current Super Eagles skipper, William Troost-Ekong, stated, “Deserved bro.” Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo wrote “Brazyyyy” and Nigerian descent, and England international striker Tammy Abraham simply wrote “Wow.”

Lookman may not make the final list for the award as get pruned before the awards ceremony scheduled for Monday, October 28 at the grandiose Théâtre du Châtelet, located at the Place du Châtelet in Paris.

But being counted among the world’s 30 best players is worth celebrating, given his trajectory, having been farmed out on loan on three occasions since 2018 at RB Leipzig, Fulham, and Leicester City before finding a home in Atalanta, where he has weighed in with 24 goals in 62 appearances since 2022.