Sports
Ademola Lookman Listed 14th in Ballon d’Or Ranking
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Super Eagles and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has achieved a significant milestone, ranking 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or standings.
This was announced Monday evening in Paris, France by the Ballon d’Or organiser.
The Nigerian international, who plays in Serie A for Atalanta, received his first nomination for the prestigious award.
The 27-year-old forward delivered standout performances that placed him in the global spotlight. Following impressive contributions for both club and country, Lookman has been recognised as one of the top football talents this year.
Lookman is also the overwhelming favourite for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, following his historic and remarkable Europa League exploits with Atalanta and his Ballon d’Or nomination, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Atalanta star made history as the first player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition final during his club’s triumph over Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Lookman’s nomination comes as no surprise after an exceptional year that saw him score 11 goals and provide seven assists in 31 Serie A games for Atalanta, making him the only African player nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Last year, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen finished in eighth position in the 2023 Ballon d’Or award ceremony in Paris, The PUNCH reports.
Osimhen finished ahead of prominent players such as Karim Benzema, Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski, and Mohamed Salah in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings.
He became the first Nigerian footballer to be shortlisted for the award in 24 years, with former Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu the last Nigerian player to receive a nomination in 1999.
Sports
Racism probe: Mourinho gets 4-game ban for Galatasaray comments
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Fenerbahçe manager, José Mourinho, has been handed a ban for his comments following their 0-0 draw with Galatasaray last weekend.
After the Istanbul Derby on Sunday, Mourinho criticised the Galatasaray bench for “jumping like monkeys” following an early challenge.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss also claimed the match would have been a “disaster” if a Turkish referee had been put in charge instead of Slovenian official Slavko Vinčić.
Galatasaray later issued a strong statement accusing Mourinho of racism and threatening legal action.
In response, Fenerbahçe hit back with a statement of their own, insisting their coach’s comments were “completely taken out of context and an attempt was made to deliberately distort them”.
Now, according to Sky Sports, the Turkish Football Federation has decided to punish Mourinho with a two-game ban for racist comments and a further two-match suspension for offensive remarks made about the fourth official.
Sports
Chelsea emphatic win against Southampton gives them hope of top four finish
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Chelsea stormed back into Premier League top four with a commanding 4-0 victory over struggling Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
The emphatic win lifted Enzo Maresca’s side to fourth place, reigniting hopes of a Champions League return after three consecutive defeats had cast doubt over their campaign.
Amid growing frustration among supporters—who gathered pre-match to chant for former owner Roman Abramovich—Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring with a courageous header, marking his 14th goal of the season.
The French star celebrated in trademark style, blowing a blue balloon, signaling a return of belief at the Bridge.
Pedro Neto doubled Chelsea’s lead with a clinical strike before Levi Colwill powered home a header from a Neto free-kick just before halftime.
The Blues capped their largest Premier League victory since 2022 when Marc Cucurella slotted in the fourth late on, ensuring the dominant display didn’t go unrewarded.
Facing pointed questions after defeats to Aston Villa and Brighton, Maresca insisted Chelsea were “on the right track.”
His side answered emphatically, though critics might note Southampton’s woeful form—bottom of the table with just nine points from 27 matches.
For Southampton, the defeat further deepened their crisis.
With 11 goals conceded in their last three league games and manager Ivan Juric branding the season a “disaster,” the Saints look destined to replicate their 2022-23 relegation woes.
While Chelsea’s top-four hopes received a boost, their position remains precarious.
For now, though, Chelsea can take solace in a performance that suggests Maresca’s project may yet bear fruit.
Manchester City and Newcastle could reclaim fourth spot with wins in their midweek fixtures.
Sports
Sad! Uganda based Nigerian footballer, Lawal falls to death from shopping mall
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Police on Monday said they were investigating the death of Nigerian footballer Abubakar Lawal who fell from a shopping mall balcony in Kampala.
The 29-year-old striker played for local premiership club Vipers.
He fell from the third floor of Voicemall Shopping Arcade early on Monday, police said in a statement.
He had been visiting a Tanzanian friend staying in one of the residential apartments that form part of the mall.
The friend told police she had left him alone shortly before the fall.
Authorities are retrieving CCTV footage and conducting thorough interrogations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said.
The Vipers Sports Club said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden and untimely passing of our beloved player, Abubakar Lawal, who left us this morning.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Lawal’s family, club fans, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” it added.
Lawal had been the team’s striker since joining the club in July 2022 after two years with AS Kigali in Rwanda.
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