Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.
The Napoli striker was in impeccable form last season, helping the Italian side win their first Scudetto in 33 years.
The organisers of the award, French Football, confirmed his nomination Wednesday night.
Here is the last part of the 2023 Ballon d'Or nominees…
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— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023
Osimhen scored 25 league goals last term, beating off Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao for the Best Striker in Serie A award. To boot, he became the first African to top the Serie A goalscorers’ chart.
He also helped the team reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and also helped the Super Eagles secure qualification to the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Earlier, his compatriot Asisat Oshoala was listed among the nominees for the women’s category of the award. The feat is a second one on the trot for the Barcelona Femeni star who made history last year as the first African woman to have made the list.
Here is the last part of the 2023 Women's Ballon d'Or nominees…
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— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023
The former Arsenal player won a historic treble of the Primera Division title, the Supercopa de Espana Femenina, and the Champions League.
She scored 21 goals in the domestic league to emerge as joint-top scorer in Spain. Her exploits were followed by a round of 16 outing with the Super Falcons at the recently-ended Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.