Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman secured a 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings ahead of the official ceremony tonight in Paris.

The 27-year-old stood as Africa’s lone representative in the final 30-man shortlist for the award.

Lookman’s remarkable season with Atalanta earned him this prestigious nomination.

He was instrumental in their UEFA Europa League victory, netting a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen to deliver Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy. He wrapped up the season with 11 goals and seven assists in 31 league appearances, earning him the club’s Player of the Year award.

On the international front, Lookman was equally influential for Nigeria, helping lead the Super Eagles to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, where they ultimately fell to hosts Ivory Coast.

Lookman’s finish places him as the second Nigerian in two years to reach the Ballon d’Or top 15, following Victor Osimhen’s eighth-place finish in 2023.

With his 14th ranking, he finished ahead of players like Nico Williams (15) Martin Ordegard,(19) Cole Palmer, (25), Bukayo Saka ( 21) among others.

Looking ahead, Lookman is also in the running for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award, set for December 16, 2024.

As of now, George Weah remains the only African player to have won the Ballon d’Or, a feat he achieved in 1995.

Recently, Sadio Mane came close with a second-place finish in 2022, highlighting Africa’s continued rise in the global football arena.