Osimhen, Oshoala Nominated for 2023 Ballon d’Or

*All invited 23 Super Eagles players at Uyo Camp ahead São Tomé clash

Olawale Ajimotokan 

Nigeria and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen,  and Asisat Oshoala of Barcelona Femeni have been nominated for this year’s prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

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 released on Wednesday.

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.

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.

Other  nominees on the 30-man list include; Argentina legend Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favourite to win and extend his record to eight Ballons d’Or after winning the World Cup, England’s Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane and seven Manchester City players.

They include; Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Josko Gvardiol and England’s Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane.

The award ceremony is billed for Monday, October 30 in Paris.

Meanwhile, all the 23 invited Super Eagles players have checked into their rooms at the iconic Four Points By Sheraton Hotel in Uyo. 

The team had  its first training session at 5pm at the training pitch of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo ahead of the dead-rubber AFCON 2023 qualifier against São Tomé and Principe on Sunday.

The roll call of the players at the training include; – Osimhen, Jamilu Collins, Taiwo Awoniyi, Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Calvin Bassey, William Ekong, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Joseph Aribo and Ademola Lookman

The first batch of players to arrive had new boys Jordan Torunarigha, Gift Orban and Victor Boniface as well as Francis Uzoho, Tyronne Ebuehi, Adeleye Adebayo, Bruno Onyemeachi.

The second batch was made up of Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon.

The Super Eagles are top of their qualifying group with 12 points from five matches, but they will need at least a draw with bottom team Sao Tome to win the group ahead of second-placed Guinea Bissau, who host Sierra Leone at the same time on Sunday.

Both Super Eagles and Guinea Bissau have qualified for the 2023 AFCON, which will be played in Cote d’Ivoire in January 2024.