President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has commended Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman for his 14th-place finish in this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings, announced at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.
Though Manchester City’s Rodri claimed the prestigious award, Gusau expressed optimism about Lookman’s potential to secure an even higher spot in future editions. “The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for this remarkable achievement. As the only African on the 30-man shortlist and the second-highest-rated player from Serie A, he has already reached a significant milestone,” Gusau said in a statement to DAILY POST.
Lookman’s outstanding performances have brought him widespread recognition. He scored three crucial goals for Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where he helped the Super Eagles to a second-place finish. At club level, he was instrumental in Atalanta’s Europa Cup final victory over Bayer Leverkusen, scoring all three goals.
This season, Lookman has continued his impressive form with two goals for Nigeria in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, although two other goals were controversially disallowed. Many analysts see him as a strong contender for this year’s African Player of the Year award, recognizing his achievements for both club and country.
