Nigeria international Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.
The Napoli forward becomes the first Nigerian to be nominated for the prestigious prize Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
He scored 26 Serie A goals last season to lead the Partenopei to the Scudetto for the first time in more than three decades.
His contributions were significant for the club, as his five goals in the Champions League facilitated the advancement of the Italian team to the quarter-finals of the tournament, marking their inaugural achievement at this stage.
On the international stage, he has already contributed seven goals in the qualifications to Nigeria’s qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, two more than Senegal’s Sadio Mane.
The last time a Nigerian was nominated for the Ballon d’Or was in 1999, when Nwankwo Kanu of Arsenal was nominated with Cristiano Ronaldo and Hernan Crespo.
