Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has commended Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman on his remarkable 14th-place finish in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, encouraging him to aim for an even stronger performance next season, MySportDab Reports.
Lookman, the only African on this year’s 30-man shortlist, attended the prestigious ceremony in Paris, which ultimately crowned Manchester City’s Rodri as the winner.
Gusau expressed the federation’s pride in Lookman’s achievement, emphasizing his contributions at both club and international levels.
“The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for his feat, and we believe he has the potential to finish much higher next year,” Gusau remarked. “As the only African finalist and the second-highest-rated Serie A player, he is already a winner in our eyes. We encourage him to continue his best efforts for club and country, with the sky as the limit.”
Lookman’s consistent performances have shone through this year, particularly with three crucial goals that propelled Nigeria to a runner-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
At the club level, he delivered a hat-trick to secure Atalanta’s Europa Cup victory over Bayer Leverkusen, solidifying his reputation in Europe.
This season, Lookman’s form has remained strong, with goals and assists for both Atalanta and Nigeria. Notably, he scored twice in recent AFCON qualifiers, though two additional goals were controversially ruled out.
Lookman is now a leading candidate for the African Player of the Year award, potentially succeeding compatriot Victor Osimhen, last year’s winner.
Should Lookman claim the award, he would join an elite group of Nigerian players, continuing Nigeria’s continental resurgence with back-to-back African Player of the Year accolades.
