Nigeria misses out on 2026 Ballon d'Or nominations
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, taking place at the London Palladium, will see Nigeria absent from the awards for the first time in three years, with no Nigerian players on the men's or women's shortlists. The event, hosted by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry, starts at 8 pm in London.
Notably, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, who contributed significantly to the Super Eagles' performance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, were expected nominees. Osimhen had 30 goal contributions in the 2025/26 season, while Lookman scored 12 goals and provided six assists.
However, Nigeria's failure to qualify for the World Cup, which was a critical assessment period from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, impacted their chances. Osimhen previously finished eighth in 2023, and Lookman was 14th in 2024.
The only African player on the men's list is Sadio Mané of Al Nassr, while the list is dominated by Paris Saint-Germain players.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Punch Newspapers. Read the original report below.
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