This is the best year of my career – Ballon D’or nominee Ademola Lookman

Serie A star, Ademola Lookman has described the year 2024 as the best of his career, after inspiring
Atalanta’s UEFA Europa League final win against Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in May with a historic hat-trick in La Dea’s 3-0 victory.

He was also Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the 2024 Nations Cup and the 26-year-old is also among the nominees for the Ballon d’or.

He told France Football: “The feeling of winning and having gold around your neck is an incomparable feeling. And writing history in a small city like Bergamo is something extraordinary. I was very struck by the fact that (Gian Piero) Gasperini told me a few days later that I had become part of football history. It’s true, it’s an honour, but I worked hard to get here.”

On playing for Nigeria, he continued: “I have learned to understand it over time. Even though I played for England in the youth teams, winning the U20 World Cup in 2017, I decided with my heart to play for the Super Eagles because I have a close and personal connection with this country.”

And on the Ballon d’Or, Lookman added: “It’s crazy. And being the only African on the list is even more special. I’m proud of it. It’s an honour, knowing where I come from.”