Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman has been ranked 14th in the 2023 Ballon d’Or, taking place in Paris, France.
The Atalanta forward narrowly missed joining Victor Osimhen as one of the only Nigerians to reach the top 10 in Ballon d’Or rankings; Osimhen was ranked 8th last year. Lookman, however, stands out as the only African player nominated for the award this year.
Lookman was in remarkable form last season, helping Atalanta secure their first-ever European trophy. He delivered a memorable hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen and contributed 17 goals and 11 assists overall for the club.
The former Everton and RB Leipzig player was also pivotal in Nigeria’s journey to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year. Scoring twice in the tournament, Lookman played a key role as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up, narrowly losing 2-1 to the host in the final.
Continuing his strong performance in the new season, Lookman has already recorded five goals and three assists, including a recent goal for Nigeria in an AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic. He has also been shortlisted for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award by the Confederation of African Football. .
This year’s Ballon d’Or nominations are dominated by Spanish players who triumphed at Euro 2024 and Real Madrid stars following their UEFA Champions League victory. Spanish and Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez, along with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham are among the favourites for the prestigious award.
