AFCON 2025
Victor Osimhen has been omitted from the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees list released by France Football on Wednesday, August 7.
The Nigerian striker was not among the 30 players shortlisted for the annual award, despite a highly productive season with Turkish champions Galatasaray.
Osimhen scored 26 league goals during the 2024–25 season, finishing as the top scorer in the Turkish Süper Lig. He also helped Galatasaray secure the league title and the Turkish Cup, registering a total of 37 goals and eight assists across all competitions.
The shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d’Or includes players from clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich.
Nine PSG players were named on the list following the club’s treble-winning campaign. Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting CP was also included after a strong season in Portugal.
Osimhen’s omission comes in a year when no Nigerian player was nominated for the award. Fellow Nigerian international and reigning African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, who also had a successful season, was not listed among the nominees.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place later this year, where the winner will be announced.
