Ademola Lookman has been ranked as the 14th World Best Player at Ballon d’Or 2024.
Glamtush reports that Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman secured 14th position in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings at Monday’s glamorous ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, as Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernández claimed the prestigious prize.
The Atalanta striker, who was the only African nominee among the 30-man shortlist released by France Football on October 26, earned recognition following his historic hat-trick that secured his club’s first-ever Europa League trophy.
He narrowly missed out in joining Victor Osimhen to become the only Nigerians to have made the top 10 in the Ballon d’Or award. Osimhen was ranked in the 8th position last year.
“It’s special being on the list and even more special being the only African,” Lookman told BBC Sport Africa. “We have achieved great things this year, with club and country. To be recognised as one of the contenders is a great achievement.”
Lookman was in scintillating form as Atalanta won its first-ever European trophy last season, with the Nigerian scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
He scored 17 goals and made 11 assists in all for Atalanta last season.
The former Everton player was also instrumental in the Super Eagles run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire early this year.
He scored two goals as the Nigerian team finished as runners up in the competition after losing 2-1 to the hosts in the final.
In the new season, Lookman has picked up from where he stopped last season, recording 5 goals, 3 assists so far. One of the goals is for Nigeria against Benin Republic in the Africa Cup of Nation’s qualifier.
Lookman has also been shortlisted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award.
This year’s Ballon d’Or list is dominated by players from the Spanish national team, which won the Euro 2024 in the summer, and the Real Madrid team, which won the UEFA Champions League.
The Spanish and Manchester City midfielder is a strong favourite to emerge as the winner of the award this year.
The final rankings saw Rodri claim the top spot, followed by Kylian Mbappe (sixth), Lautaro Martinez (seventh), Lamine Yamal (eighth), Toni Kroos (ninth), and Harry Kane completing the top 10.
Phil Foden finished 11th, while Florian Wirtz and Dani Olmo placed 12th and 13th, respectively. Behind Lookman in 14th were Nico Williams (15th), Granit Xhaka (16th), Federico Valverde (17th), Emiliano Martinez (18th), Martin Odegaard (19th), and Hakan Calhanoglu (20th).
The remaining positions were filled by Bukayo Saka (21st), Antonio Rudiger (22nd), Ruben Dias (23rd), William Saliba (24th), Cole Palmer (25th), Declan Rice (26th), Vitinha (27th), and Alejandro Grimaldo (28th), while Mats Hummels and Artem Dovbyk shared the 29th position.
Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati claimed the women’s Ballon d’Or, while 17-year-old Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player. Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso received the Socrates Award for humanitarian work.
Other winners included Emiliano Martinez (Yachine Trophy for best goalkeeper), Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe (joint winners of the Gerd Muller Trophy for top scorers), Emma Hayes (Women’s Coach of the Year), and Carlo Ancelotti (Men’s Coach of the Year).
Real Madrid and Barcelona were named men’s and women’s clubs of the year, respectively.
