Super Eagles star, Lookman nominated for Italian football award

Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman has earned a nomination for the Forward of the Year category at the prestigious Gran Galà del Calcio awards, following his exceptional season with Atalanta.  

The 27-year-old forward, who is also a contender for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award, will face competition from Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, as well as AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.

Lookman’s nomination highlights a remarkable 2023/24 campaign, during which he became Europe’s most productive attacking player in the season’s latter stages.

From April onwards, he delivered 14 goal contributions, eight goals and six assists, more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues.

His standout performance came in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, where he netted a historic hat-trick, capping a season with 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.

Lookman’s brilliance has firmly established him among Europe’s elite forwards.

His rich vein of form has continued into the current season, with the Nigeria international already notching eight goals and five assists in just 14 appearances for La Dea.

The London-born forward’s exceptional displays have not gone unnoticed on the continental stage, earning him recognition at various prestigious awards. He is currently among the final five nominees for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award alongside Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy, Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi and South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

The Gran Galà del Calcio, organised by the Italian Players’ Association, celebrates excellence across Italian football, with winners selected through votes from association members. The ceremony is scheduled for December 2nd.

Lookman’s club, Atalanta, is also in contention for the Serie A Club of the Year award alongside Inter Milan and Juventus, while his manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has been nominated for Coach of the Year, competing with Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi and Thiago Motta of Bologna/Juventus.

The forward’s journey to Serie A success began in south London with Charlton Athletic, before spells in the Premier League with Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City, as well as a stint with German side RB Leipzig.

His 2022 move to Atalanta has proved transformative, establishing him as one of Serie A’s most dangerous attackers.

The winners of the Gran Galà del Calcio awards will be announced two weeks before the CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, where Lookman is favoured to claim the continent’s top individual prize following his exceptional year for both club and country.