Nigeria’s Lookman, Troost-Ekong miss out on the FIFA Best award but nominated for Men’s 11

• Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong missed out on the FIFA Best Player award but were nominated for the FIFA Best Men’s 11
• Lookman impressed at AFCON 2023 and for Atalanta, while Troost-Ekong earned the tournament’s best player award after leading Nigeria to their first AFCON final in a decade
• Fans will vote to decide the final Men’s 11 team, where both Nigerian stars are competing alongside football elites like Lionel Messi and Bukayo Saka

Nigeria’s dreams of individual accolades at the FIFA Best Awards suffered a blow as Super Eagles Ademola Lookman, one of the nation’s most exciting forwards, was left out of the prestigious 11-man shortlist for the 2024 FIFA Best Player of the Year award. 

Despite this setback, Lookman, alongside compatriot William Troost-Ekong, received recognition with nominations for the 2024 FIFA Best Men’s 11.

Lookman, 27, has enjoyed a stellar year both for club and country. The Atalanta star played an important role in Nigeria’s remarkable run at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scoring three goals in his debut tournament and guiding the Super Eagles to a second-place finish. 

On the club front, he etched his name into Atalanta’s history books by scoring a sensational hat trick during their historic Europa League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Despite his incredible exploits, Lookman failed to make the final list of FIFA Best Player nominees. The shortlist was headlined by Lionel Messi and featured global stars like Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Jr. However, his achievements didn’t go unnoticed, as he was named among the attackers vying for a spot in the FIFA Best Men’s 11. He will compete against the likes of Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, and Cristiano Ronaldo for a place in the ultimate team.

William Troost-Ekong, Nigeria’s defensive stalwart and Super Eagles captain, also earned a nomination for the Men’s 11. The defender displayed exceptional leadership and defensive performances during AFCON 2023, leading the Super Eagles to their first final in over a decade. His performances earned him the tournament’s best player award, ahead of Lookman and other standout players.

While Troost-Ekong was shortlisted for the African Men’s Footballer of the Year, he ultimately missed the final cut. However, his nomination for the FIFA Men’s 11 is proof of his impact on the field. 

The defender will compete alongside notable names such as William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães of Arsenal. Fans will have the final say in selecting the Men’s 11 through their votes with the deadline set for December 10.

Super Eagles star Lookman shares his next milestone after Ballon d'Or nomination

Previously, TheRadar reported that Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman, one of Nigeria’s biggest football talents, has set new goals after being nominated for the prestigious 2024 Ballon d'Or and CAF Men's Player of the Year awards. 

The Atalanta BC star has declared his ambition to lead Nigeria to the AFCON 2025 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, building on his recent successes with both his club and national teams.