Remilekun Awokoya
Finidi George (1995): The Ajax star was placed 21st among the 32-man shortlist, tied with Milan’s Franco Baresi with six points.
Daniel Amokachi (1995): The Everton forward was one of the 16 players who did not receive any votes.
Austin Jay-Jay Okocha (1995): Representing Frankfurt, Okocha was also among the 16 players without a vote.
Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999): In 1996, Kanu, then with Inter Milan, secured 14 votes, placing him just ahead of AC Milan’s George Weah, who finished 12th. In 1999, Kanu was 23rd, alongside Hernan Crespo and Ronaldo, while Barcelona’s Rivaldo claimed the award.
Victor Ikpeba (1997): Known as the “Prince of Monaco,” Ikpeba finished 32nd with 2 votes, as Ronaldo de Lima of Barcelona/Inter won the award.
Sunday Oliseh (1998): The Ajax midfielder was among the 19 players who did not receive any votes.
Asisat Oshoala (2022, 2023): In 2023, Oshoala’s Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmatí won the award. In 2022, Alexia Putellas of Barcelona won, making history as the first woman to secure back-to-back Ballon d’Or Féminin titles.
Victor Osimhen (2023): The Napoli striker was ranked 8th with 23 points, with Lionel Messi winning the award that year.
Ademola Lookman (2024): Lookman has been recognised as a nominee for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Lookman at AFCON, Europa
Meanwhile, Lookman has become a key figure at Atalanta, showcasing his talent with 13 Serie A goals in the 2022-23 season and continuing his strong form in the following campaign.
His Europa League hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen further elevated his status, leading to his 2024 Ballon d’Or nomination.
On the international stage, Lookman has also impressed with Nigeria, playing a vital role in their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Ivory Coast, where they were runners-up to the hosts in a 2-1 loss.
His creativity and attacking prowess have been instrumental in Nigeria’s success, further solidifying his reputation as one of Africa’s top footballers.