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Manchester City midfielder Rodri has emerged the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or award, beating competition from Real Madrid trio of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal.
The Spanish international becomes the second Premier League Player to win the coveted award in 16 years since Cristiano Ronaldo won it in 2008.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has achieved a significant milestone, ranking 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or standings.
This was announced Monday evening in Paris, France by the Ballon d’Or organiser.
The Nigerian international, who plays in Serie A for Atalanta, received his first nomination for the prestigious award.
The 27-year-old forward delivered standout performances that placed him in the global spotlight. Following impressive contributions for both club and country, Lookman has been recognised as one of the top football talents this year.
Lookman is also the overwhelming favourite for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, following his historic and remarkable Europa League exploits with Atalanta and his Ballon d’Or nomination.
The Atalanta star made history as the first player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition final during his club’s triumph over Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Lookman’s nomination comes as no surprise after an exceptional year that saw him score 11 goals and provide seven assists in 31 Serie A games for Atalanta, making him the only African player nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Last year, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen finished in eighth position in the 2023 Ballon d’Or award ceremony in Paris.
Osimhen finished ahead of prominent players such as Karim Benzema, Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski, and Mohamed Salah in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings.
He became the first Nigerian footballer to be shortlisted for the award in 24 years, with former Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu the last Nigerian player to receive a nomination in 1999.
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