Ballon d’Or: Nigeria’s Oshoala secures respectable finish in final rankings

Nigeria and FC Barcelona Femeni striker Asisat Oshoala marked her Ballon d’Or nomination by finishing in a respectable spot after the voting for the award was concluded. The 28-year-old enjoyed an impressive season for her club despite a series of injuries she suffered.

After the announcement of the nominees for the 2022 Ballon d’Or, Oshoala was listed among them, making her the first Nigerian or African to make the shortlist. The nomination came only weeks after she had been crowned as the African Footballer of the Year for a record fifth time.

The pacey Nigerian striker led the La Liga Iberdrola in goals and won the Pichichi despite missing over a quarter of the season through injuries. She also helped FC Barcelona Femeni to win the league title with a perfect record. Oshoala was also part of the Super Falcons’ side that finished fourth at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, but she only featured in the first match before sustaining a serious knee injury.

Oshoala was voted as the 16th best player in the world, with teammate Alexia Putellas finishing as the best in the world and retaining the Ballon d’Or.