Ballon d’Or: Osimhen, Kanu among 24 African players to have received votes

Victor Osimhen and Nwankwo Kanu are among the Nigerian footballers to have earned recognition in the Ballon d’Or rankings, joining an elite group of African stars to have received votes for football’s most prestigious individual award.

The Super Eagles have produced several players who made their mark in European football and got Ballon d’Or nominations in their active years.

However, their achievements are part of the bigger African picture. From George Weah’s historic triumph in 1995 to Sadio Mané’s runner-up finish in 2022, players from the continent have challenged some of the biggest names in world football.

Osimhen, Kanu and Nigeria’s Ballon d’Or history

Victor Osimhen achieved the highest finish by a Nigerian player when he was placed eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings.

The striker was rewarded for an outstanding campaign with Napoli, scoring 26 goals in Serie A as the Italian club won its first league title in 33 years. He also finished as the division’s leading goalscorer and subsequently won the 2023 African Player of the Year award.

Kanu, meanwhile, finished 11th in the 1996 Ballon d’Or rankings after receiving 14 votes. The former Ajax forward was instrumental in the Dutch club’s successful period and later won major honours with Arsenal.

His achievements extended to the international stage, where he helped Nigeria win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Two other Nigerians feature in the historical rankings. Finidi George finished 21st in 1995 after receiving six votes during Ajax’s successful campaign, which included the Champions League title.

Victor Ikpeba placed 32nd in 1997, collecting two votes after helping Monaco win the French league title.

Most recently, Ademola Lookman finished 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings following an outstanding season with Atalanta.

His hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen helped the Italian side win their first major European trophy, and he later claimed the African Player of the Year award.

George Weah remains Africa’s only Ballon d’Or winner

Despite the continent’s rich history of elite footballers, Liberia’s George Weah remains the only African to have won the Ballon d’Or.

Weah claimed the award in 1995 while playing for AC Milan, becoming the first African winner after the competition was opened to players of all nationalities.

Senegal’s Sadio Mané came closest to repeating that achievement in recent years, finishing second in 2022 behind Karim Benzema. Mané was previously placed fourth in 2019.

Other notable African performers include Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, who finished fourth in 2007, and Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, whose best result was fifth in 2009.

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has also enjoyed several high finishes. He finished fourth in 2025, while Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi finished sixth in the same year.

How are Ballon d’Or points decided?

The Ballon d’Or winner is determined by votes from a panel of football journalists, with the voting system varying across different periods in the award’s history.

Under the current system, each journalist selects and ranks 10 players from a 30-man shortlist. They award 15 points to their first choice, followed by 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point for the remaining selections.

The player with the highest overall points total wins the award. If two players finish level, the number of first-place votes determines the higher position, followed by second-place votes and subsequent positions if necessary.

Journalists are asked to consider individual performances, team achievements, and a player’s class and fair play when casting their votes.

However, historical totals must be understood in context because the Ballon d’Or has used different voting formats over the years.

During the FIFA Ballon d’Or era, for example, results in 2010 and 2012 were expressed as percentages rather than the traditional points totals. This is why the figures shown in the list below reflect the format used in each respective year.

The 24 African players recognised in the Ballon d’Or rankings

The historical list includes players from different generations and positions, demonstrating the depth of African representation in the award.

The rankings are a reminder that African players have contributed significantly to the history of the Ballon d’Or, even though the ultimate prize has remained elusive since Weah’s landmark victory.

For Nigeria, the motion from Kanu and Finidi to Osimhen and Lookman offers a compelling record of individual achievement. The next challenge is for a Super Eagles star to go beyond a top-10 finish and become the first Nigerian to win football’s most prestigious individual award.