SPORT

Osimhen, Lookman not shortlisted for this year’s Serie A awards

Written by Jerry Alomatu on May 23, 2024

News Views: 81

Nigerian footballers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were not included in Italy’s football federation’s shortlist for the division’s annual MVP honours, as announced by Lega Serie A.

The end-of-season awards, which have various categories including those for goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and attackers, did not feature any Nigerian players this year. The overall MVP winner will be announced directly on May 24 without a shortlist.

For the best striker’s award, players like Rafael Leao from AC Milan, Paulo Dybala from Roma, and Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus were shortlisted, leaving no room for last season’s winner, Osimhen.

Despite Osimhen’s impressive performance last season where he emerged as the Serie A top scorer, this year he has 15 goals and three assists in 24 appearances for Napoli.

Similarly, Lookman, despite his notable contributions to Atalanta, was overlooked for the best midfielder award. Players like Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Christian Pulisic from Milan made it to the list.

The awards are based on various metrics, including stats recorded from tracking data and a scientifically validated player rating system, which measures players’ in-game impact, movement, and decision-making.