Nigerian footballers, coaches and clubs have been left out of the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominations after France Football unveiled its shortlists for the prestigious awards.
The announcement on Tuesday, September 8, produced disappointment for Nigeria, with no Nigerian player, coach or club featuring among the nominees across the major categories.
Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were among the notable Nigerian players absent from the 30-man men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist. Both players have previously attracted significant international recognition, making their omission one of the talking points following the announcement.
The absence is particularly notable given Nigeria’s recent history at the awards. The country has previously produced Ballon d’Or nominees, including Victor Osimhen, who was shortlisted in 2023 after an outstanding campaign with Napoli. Ademola Lookman was also nominated in 2024 following his influential performances for Atalanta.
This year, however, African representation in the men’s main category includes stars such as Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, while Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha received a nomination for the Yashin Trophy.
Nigeria’s omission also extends to the coaching and club categories. The 2026 nominees include Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery, Vincent Kompany and Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique in the men’s coaching category.
The snub matters because the Ballon d’Or nominations serve as a major global measure of individual and team performances during the football season. For Nigerian football, the absence raises questions about the country’s representation at the highest level of international recognition.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, with nominees competing across player, coaching, club and other award categories.
