Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has praised Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman following his 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings. The 27-year-old forward, who excelled with Italian club Atalanta and the Nigerian national team, was the only African among the top 30 nominees at the prestigious ceremony in Paris.
Gusau celebrated Lookman’s impressive achievement, viewing it as a stepping stone to even greater accomplishments. “The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for his feat, and we believe he has the potential to finish much higher next year,” Gusau stated, adding, “He was already a winner before Monday night’s gala, as the only African on the 30-man shortlist. He was also the second-highest-rated Italian Serie A player in the race.”
He encouraged Lookman to remain focused and ambitious, saying, “We encourage him to continue doing his best for club and country, and the sky will be the limit for him.”
Lookman’s 2024 season was nothing short of remarkable. His performance with Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire was pivotal, where he scored three crucial goals and helped secure a strong second-place finish. He also made headlines with Atalanta in the Europa League final, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the competition’s final as his team defeated Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
These achievements have established Lookman as the frontrunner for this year’s Africa Player of the Year award, which he is widely expected to claim in Marrakech this December. If successful, Lookman would be the first Nigerian to succeed another compatriot for the title since Victor Ikpeba followed Nwankwo Kanu’s win in 1997.
