Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has praised Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman for his impressive 14th place finish in this year’s Ballon d’Or race.
This year’s gala took place in Paris, with Manchester City’s Rodri claiming the prestigious award.
Gusau expressed optimism about Lookman’s potential, stating, “The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for his feat, and we believe he has the potential to finish much higher next year.
He was already a winner before Monday night’s gala, as the only African on the 30-man shortlist. He was also the second highest-rated player in the Italian Serie A in the race.”
Lookman has had a standout year, scoring three crucial goals for Nigeria, which helped the Super Eagles secure a second-place finish in the Africa Cup of Nations held in Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year.
He also played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s Europa Cup final victory, netting all three goals in a dominant performance against Bayer Leverkusen.
This season, Lookman has continued to contribute significantly, tallying two goals for Nigeria during the 2025 AFCON qualification campaign, although two of his other goals were controversially disallowed.
His outstanding performances have led many pundits to predict he may win the Africa Player of the Year award this year.
If he does clinch the award, it will mark a historic moment as the first time a Nigerian player has won the continental title from another Nigerian since Victor Nosa Ikpeba took it from Nwankwo Kanu in 1997.
The award was first presented to a Nigerian in 1994 when Emmanuel Amuneke succeeded Rashidi Yekini.
As Lookman continues to excel on both club and international stages, the NFF encourages him to maintain his commitment to football, believing that “the sky will be the limit for him.”