Ballon d'Or 2024: Ademola Lookman only African nominated for men's award

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Ademola Lookman was awarded the MVP trophy and match ball for scoring three goals in the Europa League final last season.

Three players from Africa have a chance to win the Ballon d'Or for men and women in 2024. Ademola Lookman, who plays for Nigeria, is among the 30 players shortlisted for the men's award.

The striker from Atalanta is one of the players in a group that also consists of six athletes from England and Spain. This comes after both teams made it to the final of Euro 2024 in Germany.

One of them is Lamine Yamal, a winger from Barcelona who just celebrated his 17th birthday in July. He has a mix of Moroccan and Equatoguinean backgrounds.

A total of eight players from Manchester City and Arsenal have been nominated for an award. These teams finished first and second in the Premier League. Interestingly, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi, who won last year, are on the list for the first time since 2003.

Two African players, Barbra Banda from Zambia and Tabitha Chawinga from Malawi, have made it onto the shortlist for women's football.

Lookman has been slow to reach his full potential, but 2024 has proven to be his most successful year yet.

The 26-year-old player scored three goals and was one of Nigeria's top performers during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles reached the final but unfortunately lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast, who were the hosts of the tournament.

He also netted 11 goals which contributed to his Italian team Atalanta securing a fourth-place finish in Serie A, resulting in them earning a spot in the upcoming Uefa Champions League.

However, his most impressive performance occurred during the Europa League final in May. He managed to score three goals, also known as a hat-trick, which ultimately helped Atalanta secure a 3-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen. This win not only allowed Atalanta to lift the trophy but also handed Bayer Leverkusen their only loss of the season.

Even though there were rumors about Lookman transferring to Paris St-Germain in the summer, he decided to remain in Bergamo. Fans from Italy and West Africa are eagerly waiting to see if he can continue to achieve success there.

Banda And Chawinga Get Rewarded For Scoring Lots Of Goals

Zambia captain Banda is still one of the most well-known players in women's soccer. She made headlines for being the second most expensive player ever when she signed with Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in March.

The young player, who is 24 years old, has scored 12 goals in 14 games in the league and has also continued to score goals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

She accomplished her third hat-trick at the Games during the 6-5 loss against Australia and finished the tournament with four goals overall.

Chawinga was very successful last season with Paris St-Germain, scoring 18 goals in 19 league games. She has now moved on to play for Lyon in France.

Her sister, Temwa Chawinga, is also experiencing a lot of success and has secured a spot to play in the increasing number of African players in the NWSL.

Messi And Ronaldo Absent For First Time In 18 Years

Lionel Messi has made history once again by winning his eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023. This remarkable achievement cements his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Lionel Messi, the talented forward from Inter Miami and Argentina, who has won the Ballon d'Or eight times, did not make it onto the list this year despite winning the prize in 2023.

This is the initial instance since 2003 that neither Messi, aged 37, nor five-time champion Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 39, have been included on the list of nominees.

Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, who have both won the award before, were not included in the shortlist this time. This means that a new player will win the award for the first time.

The prize is chosen by a panel of reporters from the leading 100 nations in the Fifa men's global rankings.

Karim Konate, who is 20 years old and from Ivory Coast, has been chosen as one of the 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy. This award recognizes the top young male player of the year.

The Red Bull Salzburg striker was a member of the Ivory Coast squad that emerged victorious in the recent Nations Cup held in their own country.

One of the standout players in the tournament is Ronwen Williams, the captain of South Africa. He has been nominated for the Yashin Trophy, which is awarded to the best goalkeeper.

The champions will be revealed at an event in Paris on 28 October.

Men Nominated For Ballon D'Or

Jude Bellingham is a top player who plays for both England and Real Madrid.

Ruben Dias from Portugal and Manchester City

Phil Foden, who plays for both the England national team and Manchester City

Federico Valverde, who plays for Uruguay and Real Madrid,

Emiliano Martinez, who plays for the national team of Argentina and Aston Villa,

Erling Haaland, the talented football player from Norway who currently plays for Manchester City, has been making headlines lately.

Nico Williams, a talented player from Spain who plays for Athletic Bilbao,

Granit Xhaka, representing Switzerland and playing for Bayer Leverkusen

Artem Dovbyk, a professional football player from Ukraine with Roma roots,

Toni Kroos, who used to play for Germany and Real Madrid,

Vinicius Jr, the talented forward from Brazil who currently plays for Real Madrid

Dani Olmo, a talented footballer from Spain and playing for Barcelona,

One of the most promising young talents in German football is Florian Wirtz, who currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen.

Martin Odegaard, who plays for the national team of Norway and club team Arsenal.

Mats Hummels, who is from Germany and currently without a team

Rodri, who plays for both Spain and Manchester City, recently made headlines with his impressive performances on the field.

Blog post: Harry Kane, who currently plays for both the English national team and Bayern Munich club.

Declan Rice, who plays for England and Arsenal, has been making headlines recently with his stellar performance on the field. He has been a standout player and is quickly becoming a fan favorite. His skill and passion for the game are evident in every match he plays. It is no surprise that he is being recognized as one of the top players in the league. Keep an eye on Declan Rice, as he continues to make a name for himself in the world of football.

Vitinha, who hails from Portugal and plays for Paris St-Germain, is making waves in the football world.

Cole Palmer is a talented footballer from England who currently plays for Chelsea.

Most recent news and updates about Dani Carvajal, the talented defender playing for both the Spanish national team and Real Madrid, can be found here. Stay tuned for the latest happenings and insights on Carvajal's performances on the field.

Lamine Yamal shares his thoughts from Spain, specifically Barcelona.

Bukayo Saka, the talented young player from England and Arsenal

Hakan Calhanoglu, who hails from Turkey and currently plays for Inter Milan

William Saliba, a talented footballer from France who currently plays for Arsenal.

Kylian Mbappe, who plays for both France and Real Madrid,

Lautaro Martinez, who represents Argentina and plays for Inter Milan,

Ademola Lookman, a Nigerian player from Atalanta.

Antonio Rudiger from Germany recently signed with Real Madrid.

Alejandro Grimaldo, who hails from Spain and currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen,

Nominees For Women's Ballon D'Or

Aitana Bonmati from Spain and Barcelona

Barbra Banda, who plays for Zambia and Orlando Pride,

Tarciane, who plays for both Brazil and Houston Dash, Translated: Tarciane, who competes for Brazil and Houston Dash,

Lauren Hemp, who plays for both England's national team and Manchester City.

Trinity Rodman from the United States and playing for the Washington Spirit

Ada Hegerberg, representing Norway and playing for Lyon.

Manuela Giugliano, hailing from Italy and Rome, is the focal point of our discussion in this blog.

Mallory Swanson, who plays for both the United States national team and Chicago Red Stars.

is currently being hailed as one of the most talented and promising young footballers in the world. With her impressive skills and excellent performance on the field, she has proven herself to be a standout player for both Iceland and Bayern Munich. Despite her young age, Glodis has already made a name for herself in the world of football, and many believe that she has the potential to become one of the best players in the sport. Keep an eye on Glodis Viggosdottir, as she is definitely a player to watch in the future.

Mariona Caldentey, who hails from Spain and plays for Arsenal,

Lauren James, a player from England who also plays for Chelsea,

Lea Schuller, who plays for Bayern Munich and hails from Germany

Patricia Guijarro of Spain, who currently resides in Barcelona,

Gabi Portilho is a player from Brazil who currently plays for Corinthians.

Tabitha Chawinga, who plays for the national team of Malawi and Lyon, is creating quite a buzz on the soccer field.

Caroline Graham Hansen from Norway is currently playing for Barcelona.

Lindsey Horan, a professional soccer player from the United States who currently plays for Lyon, France.

Oh wow, Sjoeke Nusken from Germany and Chelsea is really making a strong impact on the scene.

Yui Hasegawa, who plays for both Japan and Manchester City,

Lucy Bronze, the talented player from England who also plays for Chelsea.

The blogger is Salma Paralluelo from Barcelona, Spain

Giulia Gwinn plays for both the German national team and Bayern Munich.

Khadija Shaw from Jamaica, who plays for Manchester City,

Grace Geyoro, who plays for both the French national team and Paris St-Germain, is an incredibly talented player. She has shown time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with on the field. Her skill and determination make her a valuable asset to any team she plays for. Keep an eye on Grace Geyoro, as she is sure to continue making waves in the world of soccer.

Alexia Putellas from Spain and Barcelona

Sophia Smith is a talented soccer player who plays for both the United States national team and the Portland Thorns.

Ewa Pajor, a talented soccer player from Poland who currently plays for Barcelona.

Alyssa Naeher, who represents both the United States and the Chicago Red Stars

Mayra Ramirez, hailing from Colombia and playing for Chelsea, made a significant impact in the match.

- Marie-Antoinette Katoto from France and Paris St-Germain