Lionel Messi leads the 11-man nominee list for the FIFA Best Awards, but Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman is missing, disappointing fans hoping for recognition of his impressive performances this year.
The 27-year-old Atalanta forward had an outstanding year, shining for both Nigeria and his club. Lookman scored three goals in his first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, helping the Super Eagles reach the final, where they finished as runners-up.
At club level, Lookman delivered a historic hat trick in Atalanta’s Europa League victory over Victor Boniface’s Bayer Leverkusen, contributing to the team’s memorable season. He has also been in fine form in Serie A, scoring seven goals in 10 matches so far this season.
Despite these achievements, Lookman was not included in the prestigious FIFA Best list, which features top players like Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rodri. Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s summer signing Kylian Mbappé also made the list, underlining the tough competition.