Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have been nominated for this year’s prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
HERE ARE ALL THE BALLON D'OR NOMINEES! 🌕✨#ballondor pic.twitter.com/hg1ZByzhDV
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023
Osimhen and Oshoala are poster stars of Nigeria football and make the 30-person shortlist of nominees for both the male and female categories of the award.
Osimhen, 24, finished as top scorer in the Italian Serie A with 26 goals to help Napoli win the Scudetto for the first time since 1990.
He is also the leading scorer in the qualifying tournament for the 2023 AFCON with seven goals thus far.
He is widely tipped to be crowned CAF Player of the Year in December.
Nominated for the 2023 Women’s Ballon d’Or @AsisatOshoala @FCBfemeni @NGSuper_Falcons #ballondor pic.twitter.com/zpq2leUb45
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023
Despite injury worries, 28-year-old Oshoala played a crucial role for Barcelona Femeni to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the second time in their history, while also maintaining a stranglehold on the major honours in Spain.
The forward also inspired the Super Falcons to reach the knockout rounds of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand from a tough-looking first round group that included Olympic champions Canada as well as co-hosts Australia.
She is the only African woman to be nominated.
The award ceremony is billed for Monday, October 30 in Paris.
