Nigeria make African history with 2023 Ballon d’Or nominations

The nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or men’s and women’s awards have been released on Wednesday, with two Nigerian players making it to the high-profile 30-player shortlist.

Nigerian international duo of Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have achieved historic feats, following their nominations for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Award.

No African country has ever had both male and female nominees for a Ballon d’Or award since the awards’ inception.

Therefore, this nomination marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, making it the first African nation to have both male and female players nominated for the prestigious award in the same year.

Victor Osimhen was instrumental last season for Napoli helping them secure their first Scudetto title in 33 years.

He also smashed George Weah’s long-standing goal record and claimed the Serie A top scorer title scoring 26 goals and providing five assists for Napoli.

In the women’s category, Asisat Oshoala made it back-to-back on the Ballon d’Or list.

The two-time Champions league winner was also nominated for the award in 2022 as she became the first female African player to get the Ballon Dór nomination, finishing in the 16th position among the shortlisted 30 players.

The Barcelona star helped her team win the 2022/2023 Women’s Primera Division in Spain, scoring 26 goals and providing six assists in all competitions.

The 28-year-old is also Barcelona’s highest goal-scorer and was instrumental as the Spanish champions retained their domestic title and won the UEFA Women’s Champions League.