Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman nominated for the Ballon d’Or 

Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman is the only African footballer named on the 30-man shortlist for the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award following a magnificent season for club and country.

A key player for the Super Eagles in their journey to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, Lookman scored three goals for Nigeria across the tournament.

The 26-year-old was also brilliant for Atalanta, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, including a historic hat-trick in the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League final, which saw ‘La Dea’ defeat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in Dublin. Before Lookman, no player had ever scored a hat-trick in a single-legged Europa League final.

Atalanta also secured a fourth-place finish in Serie A with Lookman netting 11 goals in that competition

Lookman becomes the eighth Super Eagle to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or following Victor Osimhen’s nomination last year.

Liberia’s George Weah remains the only African footballer to ever win the Ballon d’Or.