For the 2023 Ballon d’Or, Victor Osimhen finished in eighth place.

Victor Osimhen of Nigeria finished in eighth place in Friday night’s 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, France.

AFP notes that he is the first Nigerian to finish in the top ten in the Ballon d’Or.

The forward for Napoli was one of the few Nigerians to even be considered for the Ballon d’Or, let alone finish in the top ten.

The Italian team, led by Osimhen, won the Serie A championship for the first time in 33 years. Last year, his Napoli club won the league, and he was honoured as the league’s top scorer by receiving the Pichichi.

The 24-year-old forward became the first player from Africa to win the award after he scored 26 goals. This year’s honour went to Osimhen, the best African player in the competition. Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah of Liverpool is the closest competitor, coming in at number eleven.