Super Eagles and Napoli hitman, Victor Osimhen has attained the highest ranking of any Nigerian footballer in the history of the Balon d’Or after securing 8th position on the global rankings.
Osimhen ranked ahead of superstars like Luka Modric, fellow African Mohammed Salah and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City.
Osimhen’s brilliance was instrumental in Napoli’s success, as they clinched their first Scudetto in 33 years and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
The Nigerian forward’s contribution to his team’s achievements earned him the recognition he deserved.
Scoring an impressive 26 goals for Napoli, Osimhen played a pivotal role in leading the Italian side to their first league title in over three decades.
This outstanding performance propelled him to surpass former Super Eagles and Arsenal star, Nwankwo Kanu, who previously held the record for the highest-ranking Nigerian at the Ballon d’Or with 14 votes at the 1996 edition.
Osimhen’s Napoli teammate, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ranked 17th just below last year winner Karim Benzema who now plays for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
By achieving the eighth position, Osimhen has joined an exclusive list of Nigerian players who have received Ballon d’Or votes.
This list includes Nwankwo Kanu, Finidi George, Victor Ikpeba, and Asisat Oshoala.
