Osimhen, Messi, Haaland Get 2023 Ballon D’Or Nominations + Full List

By Daniel Ojukwu

Super Eagles of Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.

The organisers of the award, French Football, confirmed his nomination Wednesday night.

The nomination of the Italian football giants, Napoli, made him one of the few players from the country to have achieved the feat.

Osimhen scored 25 league goals last season, beating off Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao to scoop the prize for the Best Striker in Serie A.

He also helped the team reach the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League and was instrumental as the Super Eagles sealed a ticket for the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The feat earned the 24-year-old player the accolade as the first African to top the Serie A scorers’ chart.

He also broke George Weah’s record for the most goals scored by an African in the Italian league with the achievement.

Bukayo Saka is among a host of Premier League players included in the nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or.

The prestigious ceremony will take place in Paris on October 30 with Karim Benzema the current holder after firing Real Madrid to the Champions League in 2022.

Lionel Messi is the favourite to win a record eighth title after captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, although Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are both likely to be in contention.

There are a number of Premier League stars once again in the mix with Saka joined by Arsenal teammate Martin Odegaard and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

England skipper Harry Kane does make the cut following his summer move to Bayern Munich, as does international colleague Jude Bellingham.

Unsurprisingly, Manchester City’s Treble winners are well represented with Haaland among the inclusions alongside Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez. Departed former skipper Ilkay Gundogan features alongside summer arrival Josko Gvardiol.

There are also nominations for new Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana after he helped Inter to the Champions League final and Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr.

Men’s Ballon d’Or full list
Julian Alvarez
Nicolo Barella
Jude Bellingham
Karim Benzema
Yassine Bounou
Kevin De Bruyne
Ruben Dias
Ilkay Gundogan
Antoine Griezmann
Josko Gvardiol
Erling Haaland
Harry Kane
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Robert Lewandowski
Randal Kolo Muani
Emiliano Martinez
Lautaro Martinez
Kylian Mbappe
Lionel Messi
Kim Min-Kae
Luka Modric
Jamal Musiala
Martin Odegaard
Andre Onana
Victor Osimhen
Rodri
Bukayo Saka
Mohamed Salah
Bernardo Silva
Vinicius Jr