Ballon d’Or : Nigeria int’l Ademola Lookman on 30-man shortlist
BY:
OSABUOHIEN IMUETINYANOSA
Three African players are in contention to win the 2024 men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or, with Nigeria international Ademola Lookman on the 30-man shortlist for the former award.
The Atalanta forward is part of a field which includes six players from both England and Spain after those two sides reached the final of Euro 2024 in Germany.
Among them is Lamine Yamal – the Barcelona winger who only turned 17 in July – who has both Moroccan and Equatorian guinean heritage.
There are a combined eight players nominated from Manchester City and Arsenal, who finished first and second respectively in the Premier League, but for the first time since 2003 neither Cristiano Ronaldo or last year’s winner Lionel Messi make the list.
Africa is represented by Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga in the women’s shortlist.
Lookman has taken time to fulfil his potential, but 2024 has undoubtedly been his best year to date.
The 26-year-old scored three goals and was one of Nigeria’s best players as the Super Eagles made the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year before losing 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast.
He also scored 11 goals to help his Italian club side Atalanta finish fourth in Serie A, earning a place in this season’s Uefa Champions League.
But his best moment came in May’s Europa League final when he scored a hat-trick to help Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to lift the trophy and inflict the German club’s only defeat of the season in the process.
Despite being linked with a move to Paris St-Germain during the European summer transfer window, Lookman has stayed in Bergamo and fans in Italy and West Africa alike will be watching keenly to see if he can build on his success.
No Messi or Ronaldo for first time since 2003
It is the first time since 2003 that neither Messi, 37, or five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, have appeared on the list of nominees.
With Karim Benzema and Luka Modric – the only other previous recipients still playing – also left off the shortlist, a first-time winner is guaranteed.
The award is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in the Fifa men’s world ranking.
Ivorian Karim Konate, 20, is among 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best men’s young player of the year.
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The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on 28 October.
Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees are :
Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
Ruben Dias (Portugal and Manchester City)
Phil Foden (England and Manchester City)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay and Real Madrid)
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina and Aston Villa)
Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City)
Nico Williams (Spain and Athletic Bilbao)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland and Bayer Leverkusen)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine and Roma)
Toni Kroos (former Germany and Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)
Dani Olmo (Spain and Barcelona)
Florian Wirtz (Germany and Bayer Leverkusen)
Martin Odegaard (Norway and Arsenal)
Mats Hummels (Germany, free agent)
Rodri (Spain and Manchester City)
Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
Declan Rice (England and Arsenal)
Vitinha (Portugal and Paris St-Germain)
Cole Palmer (England and Chelsea)
Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)
Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)
Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)
Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey and Inter Milan)
William Saliba (France and Arsenal)
Kylian Mbappe (France and Real Madrid)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria and Atalanta)
Antonio Rudiger (Germany and Real Madrid)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain and Bayer Leverkusen)
Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees
Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
Barbra Banda (Zambia and Orlando Pride)
Tarciane (Brazil and Houston Dash)
Lauren Hemp (England and Manchester City)
Trinity Rodman (United States and Washington Spirit)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway and Lyon)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy and Roma)
Mallory Swanson (United States and Chicago Red Stars)
Glodis Viggosdottir (Iceland and Bayern Munich)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain and Arsenal)
Lauren James (England and Chelsea)
Lea Schuller (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil and Corinthians)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi and Lyon)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway and Barcelona)
Lindsey Horan (United States and Lyon)
Sjoeke Nusken (Germany and Chelsea)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan and Manchester City)
Lucy Bronze (England and Chelsea)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica and Manchester City)
Grace Geyoro (France and Paris St-Germain)
Alexia Putellas (Spain and Barcelona)
Sophia Smith (United States and Portland Thorns)
Ewa Pajor (Poland and Barcelona)
Alyssa Naeher (United States and Chicago Red Stars)
Mayra Ramirez (Colombia and Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France and Paris St-Germain)
