Ballon d’Or: Nigeria’s Lookman Shines Bright Among Top Players
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Nigerian international Ademola Lookman made a notable mark in the Men’s Ballon d’Or voting, finishing in 14th place and outperforming several prominent players, including Cole Palmer, Nico Williams, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and others.
The prestigious award was won by Manchester City’s Rodri, with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior taking second place and Jude Bellingham, also from Real Madrid, securing third.
The final results revealed Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, ranked 14th, followed closely by Spain’s Nico Williams in 15th and Granit Xhaka in 16th. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka landed in 21st, with Antonio Rudiger and Ruben Dias close behind. Chelsea’s William Saliba came in at 24th, while Palmer and Declan Rice were ranked 25th and 26th, respectively.
Lookman’s ascent to the top 15 was bolstered by an impressive season, during which he scored 11 goals in Serie A. On May 22, 2024, he made history by netting his first career hat-trick in the Europa League final at Dublin Arena, leading Atalanta to a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen and securing the club’s first European trophy. This achievement made him the first player since Pierino Prati in 1969 to score a hat-trick in a single-leg Men’s European final.
Lookman’s nomination for the Ballon d’Or on September 4, 2024, was attributed not only to his contributions to Atalanta’s Europa League triumph but also to his pivotal role in Nigeria’s journey to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. He scored key goals, including both in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the round of 16 and the lone goal in their 1-0 quarter-final win against Angola. Despite Nigeria’s narrow 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in the final, Lookman and his teammates were honored with the Member of the Order of the Niger for their exceptional performance.
Known for his dynamic style, Lookman is a versatile winger who excels with his pace and agility, consistently challenging defenders with his quick footwork and close ball control.
