Four Nigerian football stars — Ademola Lookman, William Troost-Ekong, Asisat Oshoala, and Paul Onuachu — have earned nominations across various categories in the prestigious FIFA Best Awards 2024.
The list, released on Friday by FIFA, highlights standout performances over the past year. Ademola Lookman, who plays for Atalanta in Serie A, was nominated for the Best Attacker category. He faces stiff competition from global stars like Vinicius Junior, Lamine Yamal, Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lookman’s stellar contributions led Atalanta to a Europa League title last season, while he also played a pivotal role in helping the Super Eagles reach the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where they narrowly lost to hosts Côte d’Ivoire. Lookman is also a strong contender for the CAF Player of the Year award, set to be announced next month.
Nigeria’s stand-in captain, William Troost-Ekong, was nominated in the Best Defender category. He joins the ranks of top defenders such as Arsenal’s William Saliba, Manuel Akanji, Antonio Rüdiger, and Dani Carvajal.
Asisat Oshoala, a record-breaking CAF Women’s Player of the Year winner, was shortlisted for the newly introduced Marta Award, recognizing the best goal in women’s football. Her acrobatic strike for Barcelona Femeni against Benfica in the Women’s Champions League last November secured her place among the nominees.
In the men’s equivalent, the Puskás Award, Southampton forward Paul Onuachu received a nomination for his stunning flick goal during Trabzonspor’s 2-1 victory over Konyaspor on November 10, 2023.
The men’s Best Player category is headlined by Lionel Messi, whose nomination has sparked lively debates among fans. The Argentine World Cup winner joins other top contenders, including Rodri, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Toni Kroos, and Federico Valverde.
Voting for the FIFA Best Awards 2024 is open to fans on FIFA’s official website until December. An expert panel will also weigh in to decide the winners.
This year’s nominations further underline the growing influence of Nigerian talent on the global football stage.
