When Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings on Monday night, it marked yet another milestone in Africa’s relatively short involvement with the awards.
Eighth may have made him top dog in Nigeria’s Ballon d’Or history, beating Nwankwo Kanu’s 11th place in 1996, but in African terms, others have been better.
Since its 1956 inception, the Ballon d’Or was a purely European award. And when it was finally opened to the rest of the world in 1995, a certain King came along to win it.
George Weah (Liberia) – 1st, 1995
The first and only African to win it, after leading PSG to the semifinals of the Champions League, where he was the top scorer with eight goals. He also got the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue with PSG, before joining AC Milan that summer. As a side note, Weah’s 11 goals in 26 games that powered Milan to Serie A glory was key in his winning the FIFA World Player of the Year and the African Player of the Year awards in 1995 – making him the first and only player to win all three major individual honours in a single year.
Sadio Mané (Senegal) – 2nd, 2022
Incredible in the year Senegal won its first ever Africa Cup of Nations title and Liverpool got a first Premier League crown in 30 years, Sadio still lost the top award to Karim Benzema, who was untouchable that season. Maybe winning the Champions League final against Real Madrid may have done enough to secure Africa’s second Ballon d’Or. Mané’s 22 goals and 12 assists for Liverpool, three goals and MVP at the AFCON were, however, enough to secure him the continent’s best BO finish in three decades.
Didier Drogba – 4th, 2007
A League Cup, an FA Cup and leading his beloved Cote d’Ivoire to a second straight World Cup qualification were not nearly enough to beat Kaka to the Ballon d’Or. Indeed, his 33 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League, were still not as good as Cristiano Ronaldo (finished second) and Messi (third). But 2007 was an incredible year for him, but somehow, he could not even win Player of the Year at Chelsea. His Ghanaian friend, Michael Essien, did.
Samuel Eto’o – 5th, 2009
That year, even by his high standards, was barnstorming. The quality of the goals, the range of his play, and the driving performances brought a joie de vivre that could only be matched by the four players who bested him to the top award – Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta. Like Drogba two years prior, Eto’o scored six in the UCL on his way to 36 in all competitions. His contribution to Barcelona’s incredible treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League titles is indelible but was not enough. In Africa, however, nobody came close as Samu scooped a fourth African Player of the Year award without question.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 5th, 2019 and 2022
The Egyptian will finish his career as the most top-five-ranked African in Ballon d’Or history.
44 goals in your debut season is wild, but that was just Salah serving notice about his remarkable consistency to come. His 10 goals in the UCL were the catalyst for Liverpool’s final finish, where they lost to Real Madrid. This was in 2018, and he finished sixth-ranked in the Ballon d’Or.
In 2019, the goals did not flow as much, ‘only’ scoring 27 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League. That, ironically, was enough to help Liverpool the title this time. But it was enough still to break into the Ballon d’Or top five, behind Mané, Ronaldo, Van Dijk and Messi (winner).
In 2021, he’d finish 7th, before getting back to fifth last year. This year, he’s managed 11th.
The way he’s started the current season, however, don’t put it past the Egyptian king to rectify that anomaly in 2024.
