Star scorer Lookman knows Ballon d’Or fate today
lookman
Nigeria international striker and rave-of-the-moment , Ademola Lookman, will be in the mix tonight when the identity of the winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or is unveiled at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
The 27-year Super Eagles forward who made the headlines with a stunning hat trick in the 3-0 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen to help Atalanta clinch their first Europa League title last season, is listed along with 29 other high profiles players with Real Madrid’s striker Vinicius Jnr and Manchester City’s Rodri being the two players expected to be in contention for this award.
The other Nigerian interest for the Men’s Ballon d’Or is that of Arsenal and England striker, Bukayo Saka while South African Ronwen Williams and Ivorian youngster Karim Konaté are bidding for the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper and Kopa Trophy for the best U-21 player respectively.
There are two other Africans to watch out for on the night as Zambian Barbra Banda and Malawian Tabitha Chawinga are both shortlisted for the Women’s Ballon d’Or award.
For the 68th edition of the awards ceremony, founders France Football have teamed up with UEFA for an event celebrating the best in the game based on performances over the season, from August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024.
Individual and team performances, achievements along with class and fair play are the key criteria used by an international jury of 100 specialised journalists when voting on the best players.
Over the course of the evening, ten different awards will be handed out and this year’s ceremony will be missing two key names as for the first time in a decade, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have been included in the shortlist of 30 players nominated for the Men’s Player of the Season award.
Nominees for Men’s Ballon d’Or
Jude Bellingham (England, Madrid)
Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey Inter)
Dani Carvajal (Spain, Madrid)
Ruben Dias (Portugal, Man City)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Leverkusen)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Mats Hummels (Germany, Dortmund)
Harry Kane (England, Bayern München)
Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter)
Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG / Madrid)
Martin Odegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England, Man. City / Chelsea)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal, PSG)
Nico Williams (Spain, Atletico)
Florian Wirtz (Germany, Leverkusen)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Leverkusen)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Women’s Ballon d’Or
Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, PSG / Lyon)
Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy, Roma)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Man City)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Lyon)
Lauren Hemp (England, Man City)
Lindsey Horan (USA, Lyon)
Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, PSG)
Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Poland, Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Man City)
Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern)
Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper)
Diogo Costa (Portugal, Porto)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG)
Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Dortmund)
Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Madrid)
Mike Maignan (France, Milan)
Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia, Valencia)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Unai Simón (Spain, Athletico)
Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Sundowns)
Kopa Trophy (best U-21 player)
Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina, Man United)
Arda Güler (Turkey, Madrid)
Karim Konaté (Cote d’Ivoire , Salzburg)
Kobbie Mainoo (England, Man United)
João Neves (Portugal, Benfica / PSG)
Savinho (Brazil, Girona / Man City)
Mathys Tel (France, Bayern)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, PSG)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Xabi Alonso (Spain, Leverkusen)
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Madrid)
Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain)
Gian Piero Gasperini (Italy, Atalanta)
Pep Guardiola (Spain, Man City)
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina, Argentina)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sonia Bompastor (France, Lyon / Chelsea)
Arthur Elias (Brazil, Corinthians / Brazil)
Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, Barcelona / Washington Spirit)
Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea / USA)
Filipa Patão (Portugal, Benfica)
Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England)
Men’s Club of the Year
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Girona (Spain)
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
Manchester City (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Women’s Club of the Year
Barcelona (Spain)
Chelsea (England)
Lyon (France)
NJ/NY Gotham (USA)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
The Nation
