Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has been nominated for the prestigious 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or award. The 26-year-old Atalanta star is the sole African player on the 30-man list, released by France Football on Wednesday.

Lookman, who had an impressive season with Atalanta, helped the team secure its first-ever European trophy, netting a hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. He also contributed 17 goals and 11 assists throughout the season.

In addition to his club performance, Lookman played a key role in Nigeria’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Côte d’Ivoire, scoring two goals as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up.

Notably absent from this year’s list are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom have dominated the award for over a decade. The list, however, includes stars like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Jude Bellingham, with a heavy presence of Spanish players following Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.