FORMER Charlton and Everton winger Ademola Lookman is among the 30-player shortlist for this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or.
The Nigeria international, 26, who also had spells at Fulham and Leicester, struggled for any sort of consistency during his time in England.
But he has been reinvigorated since joining Serie A side Atalanta in 2023, scoring 32 goals and assisting 18 in 72 games.
The most notable of those goals came in last season’s Europa League final when he scored a sensational hat-trick as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to claim the trophy and hand the German champions their only defeat of the campaign.
And his breathtaking 12 months has earned him a place on the Ballon d’Or shortlist.
He joins superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior on the list.
A third of the 30 names play their club football in the Premier League – Haaland, Ruben Dias, Phil Foden, Emi Martinez, Martin Odegaard, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Rodri, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba.
And six of the shortlist are English, with Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Rice and Saka joined by European Golden Boot and Euro 2024 Golden Boot winner Harry Kane.
Bookies have the Ballon d’Or winner as a straight shoot-out between Vinicius and Rodri.
Man City were disappointed that Haaland was not handed the coveted award last year – despite scoring 52 goals in his first season in England.
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He lost out to Lionel Messi as the Barcelona icon picked up the award for an eighth time following Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
But Man City fans will be hoping Rodri’s contribution to their fourth successive league title and Spain’s Euros triumph will see him pip Real Madrid‘s Vinicius to the honour.
The winner will be announced on October 28 when the Kopa Trophy will also be dished out for the best player under the age of 21.
Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have been nominated for the honour, along with Man City new boy Savinho.
