Former Charlton youngster Ademola Lookman claims 14th place in 2024 Ballon d’Or voting

Ademola Lookman placed 14th at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.

The South London-born footballer, who was playing Sunday league until he was brought into Charlton Athletic’s academy in 2013, scored a hat-trick for Atalanta in their Europa League final victory in May.

The former Peckham schoolboy, 27, featured nearly 50 times for the Addicks before signing for Everton in 2017.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini joined Lookman at the Ballon d’Or event and was keen to underline how the attacker’s team-mates helped him win recognition.

“He already knows that he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t have [Marten] De Roon, Ederson, [Berat] Djimsiti and that whole group behind him. It’s not guaranteed that he would have done the same thing had he been playing for a different team.”

Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or with Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham second and third respectively.

PICTURE: PA