Ballon d’Or: Thembi Kgatlana Missing As Asisat Oshoala Named Among 30 Nominees for Women’s Prize

• Asisat Oshoala has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or in the Women's category
• The Barcelona female forward had a remarkable year for club and country
• Impressive Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana was not shortlisted for the prize

Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala has been shortlisted for the 2023 Ballon d'Or prize in the Women's category.

The Nigerian international had a remarkable season for Barcelona Femeni during the last campaign, scoring 21 goals in 28 matches to lead her side to the Primera Division title.

The 28-year-old also played a pivotal role as the Spanish club won the UEFA Champions League as well as the Supercopa de Espana Femenina, to register an unprecedented treble.

She was also part of the Super Falcons squad that reached the Round of 16 at the recently concluded FIFA Women's World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

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Oshoala came off the bench to notch home what proved to be a decisive goal as Nigeria defeated Australia in their second group game at the tournament.

All these achievements earned her a place in the nominees for Ballon d'Or in the women's category.

Banyana Banyana forward, Thembi Kgatlana was missing from the nominees despite winning the Women's Africa Cup of Nations with South Africa and guiding them to the Round of 16 at the Women's World Cup.

Other stars nominated for the award include Sam Kerr, Patricia Guijarro, and Aitana Bonmati.

Ballon d’Or Nominee List - Female

1. Khadija Shaw (Man City)
2. Mapi Leon (Barcelona)
3. Mary Earps (Man United)
4. Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
5. Wendie Renard (Lyon)
6. Katie Mccabe (Arsenal)
7. Jill Roord (Wolfsburg and Man City)
8. Yui Hasegawa (Man City)
9. Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)
10. Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
11. Debinha (Kansas City)
12. Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
13. Reiten (Chelsea)
14. Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg)
15. Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
16. Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa)
17. Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
18. Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai and Man United)
19. Millie Bright(Chelsea)
20. Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
21. Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
22. Hayley Raso (Man City and Real Madrid)
23. Amanda Ilestedt (PSG and Arsenal)
24. Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
25. Olga Ramona (Real Madrid)
26. Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
27. Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
28. Alba Redondo (Levante)
29. Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
30. Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon)

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Oshoala makes history at WC

Sports Brief earlier reported that Oshoala wrote her name in the history books of Nigeria following her goal against Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

According to Soar Super Eagles, her goal off the bench means that she is now the first Nigerian to score in three editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Attacking Third added that it also made her the first African to achieve that feat, having scored in the 2015 and 2019 editions, where she got one goal each.