Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen are the nominees for the 2024 Men’s World Best Player award from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
On the shortlist, the two are the only African players.
Lookman received recognition for his outstanding work with Atalanta, a Serie A team.
The 27-year-old was instrumental in La Dea’s victory in the UEFA Europa League the previous campaign.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s team defeated Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final thanks to the winger’s unprecedented hat-trick.
During the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, he also scored three goals in seven games for Nigeria.
Osimhen scored 15 goals in 25 league games for Napoli last season while now on loan at Galatasaray.
The forward played a significant role in Nigeria’s AFCON 2023 campaign as well.
Last year, Erling Haaland, a forward for Manchester City, took home the honour.
This year, Haaland is one of the nominees for the esteemed honour.
