The nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or have been announced. Ademola Lookman is the only African player to be shortlisted this year for the prestigious award. This recognition marks a significant moment for African football, as Lookman’s nomination signifies the rising influence of Nigerian players on the global stage.
Lookman’s impressive performances in the Serie A with Atalanta, his historic hat trick in the UEFA Europa League final and the 2023 AFCON have made him a strong contender for the award. He has been included in the prestigious shortlist alongside other rising talents like Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Nico Williams, and Lamine Yamal. His nomination further fuels hopes that he’ll succeed Victor Osimhen as African Footballer of the Year, building on his impressive international performances. Osimhen made history last term, finishing eighth on the Ballon d’Or ranking, ahead of many other superstars.
Already, the Super Eagles have sent out a congratulatory message hailing the nomination of Lookman for one of football’s most prestigious individual accolade. “Congratulations to our own @Alookman_ who has been nominated for the @ballondor award. Goodluck Demola 🔥🙌🏽 #soarsupereagles” a post on the Super Eagles X Page read.
The 30-man shortlist includes:
The Ballon d'Or Nominees
- Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid
- Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid
- Lautaro Martinez – Inter
- Ademola Lookman – Atalanta
- Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
- Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
- William Saliba – Arsenal
- Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
- Bukayo Saka – Arsenal
- Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter
- Declan Rice- Arsenal
- Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
- Cole Palmer – Chelsea
- Vitinha – PSG
- Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid
- Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
- Dani Olmo – Barcelona
- Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
- Mats Hummels – Roma
- Erling Haaland – Man City
- Nicolas Williams – Athletic Bilbao
- Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen
- Artem Dovbik – Roma
- Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
- Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
- Phil Foden – Man City
- Ruben Dias – Man City
- Federico Valverde – Real Madrid
- Emiliano Martinez – Aston VIlla
The notable absences from the list are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, marking the first time in 21 years that neither has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Messi, the 2023 winner, was not included despite winning the Copa America again with Argentina. Ronaldo, who missed out on the award in 2023, was also absent from the list.
The winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or will be announced on October 28 at the annual ceremony in Paris. With the dominance of Messi and Ronaldo coming to an end, a new generation of stars, including Nigeria’s own Lookman, will be vying to claim football’s top individual prize.
A New Era Begins
The Ballon d'Or has long been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But with neither of the two greats making the 2024 shortlist, the stage is set for a new generation of stars to claim their place in the history of the sport.
The 2023-24 season was a memorable one for many of the nominees. It saw Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr excel for Real Madrid, helping them to secure a treble of trophies, including the La Liga and UEFA Champions League. They are now seen as the front-runners for the Ballon d'Or award.
But it was not only European players who shone this past season. The impressive performances of Ademola Lookman in Serie A with Atalanta and the UEFA Europa League final, along with his contribution to Nigeria’s success in the 2023 AFCON, have put him firmly on the map. His nomination is a testament to his rising status in the world of football and a sign of the growing influence of African players on the global stage.
The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious award that recognises the best male player in the world for the past season. It is awarded by France Football, a French weekly football magazine, and is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the sport. The winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or will be announced on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Who will be crowned as the successor to Lionel Messi? Will it be a player from the new generation of stars or will a veteran player have one last hurrah?
