Osimhen, Oshoala’s Ballon d’ Or award nominations thrill Omokaro, Lawal

Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria celebrates after scoring her team’s third goal during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Photo: AFP

Former Nigeria internationals, Bright Omokaro and Dimeji Lawal, have said that the nominations of Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen and Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala for the 2023 Ballon d’ Or award is an indication that the country has abundant talents in football. 

Omokaro, who was excited on the Ballon d Or nomination, said that Osimhen and Oshoala’s remarkable achievements in world soccer, after their emergence as stars from the Nigerian cadet national teams, were clear fact that the male and female junior teams could also be a scouting ground for players to be injected into the senior national team.

He explained that it was important for football stakeholders to redouble their efforts at creating a more viable means to churn out more talents for the country, adding that there are more stars like Osimhen and Oshoala that are waiting to be discovered on the streets of Nigeria.

“I am happy that the two players were born and grew up here and were discovered and groomed to stardom in Nigeria. The country needs to focus more on the talent hunt programme at the grassroots to fish out more male and female football stars. This is the only way to go. I am glad that two players that were discovered on the street of Nigeria are now nominated for the Ballon d Or award,” he said.

On his part, Lawal said that the nomination of the duo of Osimhen and Oshoala has added to Nigeria’s football image in World football.

“The nomination of Osimhen and Oshoala came as a good news to me. It has put Nigeria football in the world map. Our major target at this point is to keep promoting grassroots football development