For the first time since 2003, popular and prominent professional football players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have missed out on this year’s in FIFA Ballon d’Or awards nominations.

It is indeed a surprise that record eight-time winner Messi, and his longtime rival Ronaldo, who has five Ballon d’Ors to his name, did not feature in Wednesday’s nominees list.

Meanwhile, Nigerian and Atalanta FC football star Ademola Lookman has been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, making him the only African player to make the list in this year’s edition.

9News Nigeria gathers that Lookman is the first Player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa League Final, leaving him as the first African Player to score a hat trick in a major European final.

Youngsters, Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are among the names nominated.