Super Falcons of Nigeria forward Asisat Oshoala tops the list of female footballers nominated for the Women’s Ballon d’Or award, the organisers announced on Wednesday.
Oshoala enjoyed a superb 2022–23 campaign with Barcelona Femeni, winning the treble and scoring over 25 goals for the Spanish and European champions.
The Falcons forward also starred at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she scored once and became the first Super Falcons player to score at three consecutive FIFA World Cups and also the first African and Nigerian to score at three different FIFA Women’s World Cups.
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She also became Nigeria’s joint-highest scorer at the Women’s World Cup with three goals. Oshoala is the only African nominated for the women’s award in the Ballon d’Or, which will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, on Monday, October 30.
She is joined on the list by a number of her Barcelona teammates, which include Aitana Bonmati, who won the Golden Ball award at the Women’s World Cup; Salma Paralluelo, who won the Young Player award at the Mundial; Swedish forward Fridolina Rolfo; Maria Leon; and Patri Guijarro.
Newly-signed Manchester United women’s midfielder Hinata Miyazawa, who won the Golden Boot at the Women’s World Cup, also makes the list, along with Japanese teammate and Manchester City midfielder Yui Hasegawa.
Chelsea and Australian forward Sam Kerr, England shotstopper Mary Earps, Germany’s Alexandra Popp, the France duo of Wendie Renard and Kadidiatou Diani, and Colombian teenager sensation Linda Caicedo also made the cut.
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES
Asisat Oshoala
Aitana Bonmati
Salma Paralluelo
Fridolina Rolfo
Maria Leon
Patri Guijarro
Hinata Miyazawa
Yui Hasegawa
Sam Kerr
Alexandra Popp
Wendie Renard
Kadidiatou Diani
Linda Caicedo
Alba Redondo
Rachel Daly
Olga Carmona
Georgia Stanway
Amanda Ilestedt
Hayley Raso
Sophie Smith
Million Bright
Lena Oberdorf
Daphne van Domselaar
Debinha
Ewart Pajor
Guro Reiten
Jill Roord
Katie McCabe
Khadija Shaw
