Atalanta Coach Names Key Factor Behind Lookman’s Ballon d’Or Success
- Ademola Lookman recently finished an impressive 14th in the final rankings of the 2024 Ballon d'Or awards
- The marquee Atalanta forward became just the eighth Nigerian to make the top 30 of the prestigious award list
- Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has detailed the vital elements behind Lookman's Ballon d'Or finish
Ademola Lookman has captured headlines with his impressive 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d'Or rankings.
The star forward, who led Atalanta to victory in the UEFA Europa League, has sustained his remarkable form, delivering a series of standout performances this season.
Lookman was Atalanta’s sole representative in the nominations and one of only two Serie A players shortlisted for the prestigious award.
Source: Getty Images
Although he finished seven places behind his Serie A counterpart, Lautaro Martinez, Lookman has earned widespread praise, particularly as the only African player recognised this year.
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Reflecting on Lookman’s success, Atalanta coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, shared insights into the key factors behind the forward’s achievements.
Atalanta coach speaks on Lookman's success
In the aftermath of the Ballon d'Or ceremony, the veteran manager credited Lookman’s teammates as pivotal to his exceptional form and his 14th-place finish in the rankings.
Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Gasperini shared:
“He knows he wouldn’t be here without De Roon, Ederson, Djimsiti, and the entire squad supporting him,” he remarked. “It’s not guaranteed he would have achieved the same result if he were playing for a different team.”
In a lighthearted moment, Gasperini added,
“I asked him if he’d be wearing a tuxedo. He said he wouldn’t, but that he’d wear a bow tie.”
Lookman himself expressed gratitude toward his teammates during his interview at the Ballon d'Or gala.
The 27-year-old is likely to aim for an even higher finish in future Ballon d'Or editions. So far, he has tallied an impressive 10 goal involvements in his 10 appearances for Atalanta this season, according to data courtesy of Fotmob.
Predicted winners for CAF Awards
Legit.ng in another report analysed and predicted winners for the CAF Awards after the African governing body announced the 10-man shortlist for each category of its men's awards.
Two Ballon d'Or nominees, Ademola Lookman and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, headlined the nominees and are expected to win their categories.
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Source: Legit.ng
