Asisat Oshoala Makes History As First African Nominee For Women’s Ballon d’Or

Asisat Oshoala has been nominated for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, reports Megasportsarena.com.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria and FC Barcelona forward is the first African woman to be nominated for the prestigious award.

Oshoala is also the only player to win the CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award five times.

She won the Spanish Women’s Primera Division Golden Boot with 20 goals in 19 games, to share the top scorer award with Geyse Ferreira, despite being injured for eight weeks as Barcelona retained their La Liga Feminina title.

The other Ballon d’Or nominees are Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Ada Hegerberg (Lyon), Selma Bacha (Lyon), Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona), Vivianna Miedema (Arsenal), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Christiane Endler (Lyon), Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg), Kadidatou Diani (PSG), Catarina Macario (Lyon), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg), Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave) and Beth Mead (Arsenal).

Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg won the maiden women’s Ballon d’Or back in 2018 while United States Women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe won the honours in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 ceremony to be cancelled. Oshoala’s teammate, Alexia Putellas emerged as the winner following its resumption last year.

The 66th Ballon D’or ceremony will take place on the 17th of October at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.

At the CAF Awards last month, Oshoala was named the African Player of the Year for a record fifth time, adding to her previous wins in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019.

The Super Falcons star is expected to lead Nigeria to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.