Africa Sports

Top 6 highest ranked Super Eagles stars in Ballon d’Or history after Lookman’s 14th-place finish

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman became the latest Nigerian international to etch his name in the history books after finishing 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or ranking at the awards ceremony held on Monday, October 28.

The former RB Leipzig star was the only African player to make the 30-man shortlist for this year’s award.

The 27-year-old became the sixth Nigerian to be nominated for the coveted prize following his remarkable campaign for Atalanta and the Super Eagles.

Lookman starred in the Europa League final, scoring a historic hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen to guide Gian Piero Gasperini’s side to their first-ever European title.

The former RB Leipzig man finished last season with 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions for La Dea.

On the international stage, Lookman netted three goals at the 2023 African Cup of Nations, helping Nigeria reach the final against the hosts.

Lookman’s 14th position in the Ballon d’Or rankings makes him the third highest-ranked Nigerian in the history of the awards, behind Victor Osimhen and former Arsenal forward Nwankwo Kanu, who finished in 8th and 11th place respectively.

Here is the list of the most-ranked Nigerian players in Ballon d’Or history, as highlighted by Nigerian photojournalist Pooja on X:

1. Victor Osimhen (2023) – 8th

2. Nwankwo Kanu (1996) – 11th

3. Ademola Lookman (2024) – 14th

4. Finidi George (1995) – 21st

5. Nwankwo Kanu (1999) – 23rd

6. Victor Ikpeba (1997) – 32nd

 

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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