Nigeria’s Asisat Oshola, Khadija Shaw, and 28 other female footballers have been shortlisted for the female category of 2023 Balon d’or awards.
The two-time defending champion, Alexia Putellas is out of the running after a season decimated by injuries, the coast is now clear for a new winner to emerge.
Oshoala was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or women’s player of the year award following her impressive season with FC Barcelona Femini in the Spanish League and the Super Falcons of Nigeria.
She won the Champions League with Barcelona Femine and played a big part in the Super Falcons team that featured at the 2023 World Cup.
The Nigerian, 28, was instrumental in her team’s Primera Division triumph last term and featured as they clinched the Supercopa de Espana Femenina to complete a historic treble.
She scored 21 league goals in 28 games last term.
The Women’s World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati, also made the shortlist. The competition’s Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa and Colombian teenager Linda Caicedo made the list.
The 2023 awards will take place on the 30th of October.
Below is the list of nominees for the 2023 Women’s Ballon d’Or
- Khadija Shaw (Man City)
- Mapi Leon (Barcelona)
- Mary Earps (Man United)
- Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
- Wendie Renard (Lyon)
- Katie Mccabe (Arsenal)
- Jill Roord (Wolfsburg and Man City)
- Yui Hasegawa (Man City)
- Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)
- Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
- Debinha (Kansas City)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
- Reiten (Chelsea)
- Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg)
- Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
- Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa)
- Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
- Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai and Man United)
- Millie Bright(Chelsea)
- Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
- Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
- Hayley Raso (Man City and Real Madrid)
- Amanda Ilestedt (PSG and Arsenal)
- Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
- Olga Ramona (Real Madrid)
- Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
- Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
- Alba Redondo (Levante)
- Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
- Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon)
