Osimhen and Oshoala gets Balon D’or nominations
Emmanuel Alfred
Good news for Nigerians as Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala have both been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.
It is very unprecedented as it is the first time that two Nigerian players have been nominated for the prestigious award in the same year.
Osimhen enjoyed an incredible season for Napoli last season leading the Naples-based club to to their first Serie A title in over 30 years while finishing as the highest goal scorer in Italy that season with 26 goals.
The forward who already has 3 goals in 4 games in the Serie A this season has been a key player for the Super Eagles; helping them qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with one game to burn.
He is equally the top scorer in the qualifying series; highlighting his pivotal role in the campaign.
He will be facing off challenges form the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Halland, Mohamed Salah, and Bukayo Saka among others,
In the Women category, Oshoala, whose form for Barcelona Femeni helped the Catalan club to a historic treble last season including the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The 28-year-old forward who became the first African woman to score at three different Women’s World Cups also scored 21 goals in 28 appearances for Barcelona last season.
Oshoala, despite being plagued by injuries helped the Super Falcons make it to the Round of 16 at the last World Cup staged in New Zealand and Australia.
The Women’s World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati, the competition’s Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa, and Colombian teenager Linda Caicedo all made the nomination list with Oshoala.
The Ballon D’Or 2023 ceremony will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.
