October, 13 2024.
Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has revealed his personal pick for the 2024 Ballon d'Or: Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman.
Gasperini praised Lookman’s magical skills, which played a crucial role in Atalanta’s successful Europa League campaign.
“My personal Ballon d’Or vote would go to Ademola Lookman,” Gasperini said. “His magic skills helped us to win the Europa League.”
Lookman’s standout moment came in the Europa League final, where he scored a hat-trick to give Atalanta a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
This made him the first player to score a hat-trick in a one-legged Men's European final since Pierino Prati in 1969.
On 4 September 2024, Lookman became the first current Atalanta player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
This nomination was a result of his stellar performances, not only for Atalanta in their 2023–24 UEFA Europa League triumph, but also in Nigeria's run-up to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final.
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