World football governing body FIFA has announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2024 The Best FIFA Football Awards meant to recognize the top performers after a year of women’s and men’s football, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
In a statement on their official website FIFA listed the nominees in various category which compromises of The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
Two Nigerians in Ademola Lookman and William Troost Ekong were nominated for the Best Men’s 11 which will have a different format of voting this year , with fans now allowed to have their say in who makes the final 11.
They will be able to choose from a list of 77 nominated players – 22 defenders, midfielders and forwards apiece, plus 11 goalkeepers – slotting them into one of several preset tactical formations to build their team. Votes will be weighted equally between fans and an expert panel.
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Lookman was nominated in the category of the best attacker, while Ekong made the list of the best defender. Voting is open on FIFA.com until 23:59 CET on Tuesday, 10 December 2024. The rules of allocation for all awards are available at the FIFA Digital Hub.
Both players were rewarded for their outstanding performance for the senior national team of Nigeria at the AFCON, where Ekong captained Nigeria to the final before they were beaten 1-2 by the host Cote d’ Ivoire in the final. He was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.
His teammate Lookman scored three goals at the tournament, but stole the attention of the world with his hat-trick for Atalanta in the final of the Europa League, which handed them a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
