Nigeria’s Osimhen Joins Elite List, Makes Ballon D’Or Nominees’ List

Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen top the list of a 30-man list of players named by organisers of the 2023 Ballon D’Or awards on Wednesday, reports Prime Business Africa.

The prize will be presented in Paris, France on October 30 with Messi, tipped to win the award for the 8th time after he captained Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Haaland would be the first Norwegian man ever to win a Ballon d’Or. However, Norway striker Ada Hegerberg won the Ballon d’Or Feminin in 2018.

Three other 2022 World Cup winners been been nominated in the shape of Emiliano Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.

Of the 30 nominees, 27 currently play their club football in Europe. Two – Karim Benzema and Yassine Bounou – recently signed for teams in Saudi Arabia, while Inter Miami captain Messi is the only USA-based player on the list.

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen scored 26 league goals for Serie A champions, Napoli who won the title for the first time in 33 years after Diego Maradona inspired the team to glory in 1990.

Full List Of 2023 Men’s Ballon d’Or Nominees

Mohamed Salah – Liverpool/Egypt

Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich/Germany

Karim Benzema – Al-Ittihad/France

Andre Onana – Man United/Cameroon

Josko Gvardiol – Man City/Croatia

Julian Alvarez – Man City/Argentina

Yassine Bounou – Al Hilal/Morocco

Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid/Brazil

Ilkay Gundogan – Barcelona/Germany

Martin Odegaard – Arsenal/Norway

Erling Haaland – Man City/Norway

Nicolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy

Ruben Dias – Man City/Portugal

Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa/Argentina

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia

Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal

Randal Kolo Muani – PSG/France

Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England

Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium

Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England

Lionel Messi – Inter Miami/Argentina

Rodri – Man City/Spain

Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan/Argentina

Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France

Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland

Kim Min-jae – Bayern Munich/South Korea

Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia

Kylian Mbappe – PSG/France

Victor Osimhen – Napoli/Nigeria

Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England

Izuchukwu Okosi

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Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.

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