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Asisat Oshoala and Victor Osimhen have both been shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, making Nigeria the first African country to have a nominee in both the men’s and women’s categories in the same year.

Osimhen is the first Nigerian men’s player to be nominated since 1999. Last year, Oshoala became the first African woman to get a nomination for the prestigious award, and remains the only African woman on this year’s shortlist.

Both players have had phenomenal years for club and country. Oshoala won both the Champions League and Liga F with Barcelona, making her mark as the club’s top scorer for the 2022-23 season. Though Nigeria bowed out of the Women’s World Cup in the round of 16, she was undoubtedly one of the Super Falcons best players throughout the tournament.

Osimhen clinched the Serie A Golden Boot for the 2022-23 season, after leading Napoli to their first league title since 1990. At only 24-years-old, he is already climbing up Nigeria’s all-time top scorer ranks, 20 goals from the top, and only a few strikes away from second place.

Both players have put African football on the map, and this year’s Ballon d’Or nominations are testament to that. And with both the men’s and women’s Africa Cup of Nations around the corner, here’s to more show-stopping performances from the Naija duo.

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