Ballon d’Or: ‘Why Victor Osimhen should’ve been in the mix’

By Vince Somade‑Vincent Nigeria has a strong presence in this year’s Ballon d’Or nominations, with Chiamaka Nnadozie shortlisted for the Women’s Yachine Trophy and Justin Madugu for the Women’s Cruyff Award — a testament to their excellence in women’s football. Nnadozie’s heroics were central to Nigeria clinching their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title […]

By Vince Somade‑Vincent

Nigeria has a strong presence in this year’s Ballon d’Or nominations, with Chiamaka Nnadozie shortlisted for the Women’s Yachine Trophy and Justin Madugu for the Women’s Cruyff Award — a testament to their excellence in women’s football.

Nnadozie’s heroics were central to Nigeria clinching their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title and she delivered a starring performance in Paris FC’s Coupe de France victory, earning her a well-deserved global nomination.

However, the omission of Victor Osimhen, the most prolific Nigerian male footballer last season from the Ballon d’Or shortlist is a glaring oversight.

He dominated the 2024–25 Süper Lig, emerging as the league’s Golden Boot winner with 26 goals, guiding Galatasaray to both the league title and Turkish Cup, and earning the club’s Player of the Season award.

Additionally, his 37 goals and eight assists across all competitions set a new benchmark for a foreign player in Turkish football.

By contrast, Viktor Gyökeres, who is among the Ballon d’Or nominees, also had an extraordinary season leading Sporting CP to back-to-back Primeira Liga titles, multiple top scorer awards, and clinching individual accolades like Guldbollen and the IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer.

Osimhen’s numbers, trophy haul, and historical impact are at least equal to, if not greater than, those of his peers.

Selection criteria undoubtedly factor in European competition exposure, media narratives, and global visibility. Still, looking purely at output and influence, Osimhen’s campaign was impossible to dismiss. His impact was unmatched, record-shattering, and transformative exactly the kind of season the Ballon d’Or should recognize.

In the end, the panel made their choices, and we must respect their process. Yet as Nigerians and African football supporters reflect on this season, Osimhen’s exclusion remains difficult to understand and hard to accept. His achievements spoke loudly, even if they didn’t lead to a nomination.