Osimhen and Lookman Snubbed for 2026 Ballon d'Or List
France Football has announced the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, notably omitting Nigerian forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. The evaluation period for this award spans from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The absence of the Super Eagles from the World Cup significantly impacted their candidacy, despite Osimhen's 30 goal contributions and Lookman's 12 goals and six assists during the 2025-26 club season. Both players had strong showings at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, contributing to seven of Nigeria's 14 goals.
Osimhen previously made history by finishing eighth in the 2023 Ballon d'Or rankings, while Lookman placed 14th in 2024. Their exclusion from the 2026 list is particularly striking for Nigerian football fans.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony is set for October 26 in London.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Legit.ng. Read the original report below.
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