Super Falcons star striker, Asisat Oshoala has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or women’s player of the year award following her impressive season with FC Barcelona Femini in the Spanish League and the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
Oshoala, who is the reigning Africa women’s player of the year, scored 21 goals in just 28 games to lead FC Barcelona to the 2022/23 Spanish league title and was the Spanish club’s top-scorer with 27 goals in all competitions.
The 28-year-old was instrumental as Barcelona retained their domestic title and won the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The two-time Champions league winner was also nominated for the award in 2022 as she became the first female African player to get the Ballon Dór nomination, finishing in the 16th position among the shortlisted 30 players.
At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Oshoala made history as the first Nigerian and first female African player to score at three different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
The Super Falcons star scored in her debut World Cup in 2015 against Sweden; in 2019 against South Korea; and now in 2023 against Australia.
She scored the winning goal in the 3-2 win over co-hosts Australia in the group stage and led the Super Falcons of Nigeria to an impressive round of 16 finish.
Nigeria crashed out of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup after losing 4-2 on penalties to eventual finalists—the Lionesses of England in the Round of 16.
The nine-time African champions were unbeaten in the group stage finishing second behind co-hosts Australia, and qualified ahead of Olympic champions, Canada and debutants Republic of Ireland.
Oshoala was a key part of the impressive Falcons side as they avoided defeat in all three group-stage matches for the first time in history, with a win and two draws.
The Ikorodu born superstar and former Arsenal striker has also won the African Player of the Year award for a record five times—2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and in 2022.
With two-time defending champion Alexia Putellas out of the running after a season hampered by injuries, a new winner will be crowned on October 30th.
Barcelona and Spain superstar Bonmati, who was instrumental to the Spanish women’s national team glory at the FIFA Women’s World Cup is the favourite to win the prize her teammate, Alexia Putellas won last year.
With a stellar performance at the tournament, playing in every game and winning the best player award, Bonmati is a strong contender to succeed Putellas.
Chelsea’s Sam Kerr is yet another likely winner having racked up 29 goals for Chelsea last season as they won a domestic double before featuring for the Matildas of Australia at the World Cup.
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 in 2021 and retained her title in 2022.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.
The winners of the Ballon d’Or 2023 will be announced on this day.
The Ballon d’Or women’s award nominees are:
Khadija Shaw (Man City)
Mapi Leon (Barcelona)
Mary Earps (Man United)
Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
Wendie Renard (Lyon)
Katie Mccabe (Arsenal)
Jill Roord (Wolfsburg and Man City)
Yui Hasegawa (Man City)
Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
Debinha (Kansas City)
Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg)
Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa)
Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai and Man United)
Millie Bright(Chelsea)
Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
Hayley Raso (Man City and Real Madrid)
Amanda Ilestedt (PSG and Arsenal)
Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
Olga Ramona (Real Madrid)
Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
Alba Redondo (Levante)
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon)