Ballon d’Or: Lookman urged to aim higher as Atalanta man eyes milestone set by former Monaco & Arsenal stars

NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has praised Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman for his impressive 14th-place finish in this year’s Ballon d’Or ranking, encouraging the Atalanta star to aim even higher next season, Soccernet.ng reports.

Lookman, who attended Monday night’s ceremony in Paris, was the only African among the 30 finalists, a competition ultimately won by Manchester City’s standout midfielder Rodri.

Gusau expressed the federation’s pride in Lookman’s achievement, which highlighted his significant contributions at both club and national levels.

“The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for his feat, and we believe he has the potential to finish much higher next year,” Gusau said.

“He was already a winner before Monday’s night’s gala, as the only African on the 30-man shortlist. He was also the second highest-rated Italian Serie A player in the race. We encourage him to continue doing his best for club and country, and the sky will be the limit for him.”

Lookman has had a standout year, scoring three vital goals for Nigeria to help them claim a runner-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

His efforts extended to club football, where he netted a hat-trick in Atalanta’s Europa Cup final victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

This season, Lookman has kept up his form, contributing goals and assists for both Atalanta and Nigeria.

He recently scored twice for Nigeria in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, with two more goals controversially ruled out.

Lookman is also a strong favourite to claim the African Player of the Year award, which would be a significant achievement for Nigeria.

Should he win, Lookman would continue Nigeria’s recent resurgence on the continent, following Victor Osimhen’s triumph last year that ended a 24-year drought for the award.

If successful, Lookman would join an elite group of Nigerian players, receiving the award from a compatriot, just as ex-Monaco man Victor Ikpeba did from former Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu in 1997.