At the 2022 women’s Ballon d’Or gala held on Monday in Paris, France, Asisat Oshoala was named the 16th best female football player in the world.
The Nigerian is the first ever African to be named in a list of 20 women who are nominated for the women’s Ballon d’Or, despite not placing in the top three.
With 20 goals in 19 games, the Barcelona Femeni striker finished tied with Geyse Ferreira of Madrid CFF as the league’s top scorer in Spain’s top division.
In July, Oshoala was named CAF Women’s Player of the Year for the fifth time, breaking the record held by fellow countrywoman Perpetua Nkwocha.
Meanwhile, Oshoala’s teammate Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for a second successive year, becoming the first woman to win the award twice since it launched in 2018.
Putellas, 28, was named the best women’s player in the world despite being sidelined since June with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
She finished ahead of Arsenal’s Beth Mead and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, who were second and third, respectively.
Prior to her injury in the summer, Putellas captained Barcelona to a third successive Primera Division title. The Catalan side made history by winning all 30 of their league games throughout the 2021-22 campaign.
She also led Barcelona to success in the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa de la Reina to complete a domestic treble, although they came up short in the Champions League.