Iheanacho, Musa & Mikel Snubbed As Golden Ball Nominees Announced

No Nigerian player has been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or for 2016 after the 30 candidates were announced on Monday.

Leicester City’s Ahmed Musa, Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel and Manchester City wonderkid Kelechi Iheanacho, who were all nominated for the best player in Africa by CAF, failed to make the shortlist.

Iheanacho greatly contributed to the success of Manchester City last season, netting 14 goals in all competitions and has already scored four this term, while Musa helped CSKA secure the Russian title before moving to Leicester City in the summer transfer window.

The African players that are in the running for the award include the best footballer in the English Premier League Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund).

France Football is organizing this year’s award after severing ties with Fifa.

Nominees For Golden Ball

Sergio Agüero (Manchester City); Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund); Gareth Bale (Real Madrid); Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus); Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid); Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City); Paulo Dybala (Juventus); Diego Godín (Atlético Madrid); Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid); Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus); Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United); Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona); Koke (Atlético Madrid); Toni Kroos (Real Madrid); Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich); Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur); Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City); Lionel Messi (Barcelona); Luka Modric (Real Madrid); Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich); Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich); Neymar (Barcelona); Dimitri Payet (West Ham United); Pepe (Real Madrid); Paul Pogba (Manchester United); Rui Patrício (Sporting); Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid); Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona); Jamie Vardy (Leicester City); Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich)

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com