Super Eagles and Napoli star forward Victor Osimhen has been voted as the eighth best player in the world in the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
The 24-year-old striker was instrumental for the Partenopei as they claimed a first league crown since 1990.
He won the league’s Capocannoniere and was named as the Striker of the Year with 26 goals and four assists in 32 league appearances.
The Nigerian striker also scored five goals in six UEFA Champions League appearances for Napoli as they reached their farthest in the competition, bowing out to AC Milan in the quarterfinals.
Osimhen is the highest scoring African in the history of the Italian Serie A, and the only African nominee for this year’s FIFA The Best Men’s Player of the Year award.
He has finished in eighth place and is the first Nigerian to break into the top ten of the award, surpassing Kanu Nwankwo’s 11th place finish of 1999.
Super Falcons and FC Barcelona Femeni ace Asisat Oshoala finished in 20th place in the women’s Ballon d’Or voting as teammate Aitana Bonmati picked up her first Ballon d’Or.
