Former Everton star Ademola Lookman finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings on Monday night.
The biggest individual awards ceremony for footballers took place on Monday, where Manchester City’s Rodri took home the coveted prize – becoming the first Premier League player since Michael Owen in 2001 to win it.
Lookman was nominated after an excellent campaign for Atalanta where he scored 17 goals and registered 10 assists in all competitions, including a hat trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
It’s a far cry from his time at Goodison Park, where Lookman lacked confidence and failed to stamp his mark in the first-team squad.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Serie A | 31 | 11 | 8 |
| Europa League | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| Coppa Italia | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Ademola Lookman reacts after finishing 14th in Ballon d’Or rankings
Although he didn’t win the award, the Nigeria international still placed in the top 20, finishing 14th overall.
He was also the only African male footballer to be nominated for the award and when arriving on the red carpet, said: “It is very special for me to be here today. It is a big achievement for my country. For my club. I am very happy.”
The winger also reacted to a photo of himself at the awards on social media, responding with laughing-faced emojis.
Why didn’t it work out for Ademola Lookman at Everton?
Unfortunately for Everton and Lookman, the move probably came too early in his career.
After joining from Charlton Athletic as a fresh-faced teenager and in competition with some top operators, game time was hard to come by.
When used, Lookman would often play out of position and brought on as a substitute, giving him little time to make an impact.
The winger is now a completely different player from the one who left Merseyside and is flourishing at the top level.
His performances mean he is even in line to be named the African Footballer of the Year on 16 December.
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