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Both Ronaldo and Benzema are plying their trades in Saudi Arabia, but they have been nominated for the FIFPRO XI ahead of Nigeria’s star boy Victor Osimhen.
Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen has been controversially left out of the FIFPRO XI nomination for 2023.
Osimhen missing in FIFPRO XI nomination list
Osimhen had a stellar 2022/2023 season for both club and country, but it was not enough to earn him a spot in the nomination list released on Wednesday.
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19:27 - 04.11.2023
Ballon d'Or: Nigerian journalist votes Messi and Haaland over Osimhen
Osimhen might have achieved Nigeria’s highest-ever finish in the Ballon d’Or ranking, but even his countryman does not believe he is better than Haaland.
According to FIFPRO, the FIFPRO World XI is voted by professional players, with each player nominating three goalkeepers, three defenders, three midfielders and three attackers.
The period of eligibility for this year was from December 19, 2022, to Aug 20, 2023- a period where Osimhen was at his absolute best.
During this time, Osimhen finished as the Serie A top scorer with 26 goals, leading Napoli to their first league title in 33 years, winning CAF Player of the Year and finishing eighth in the Ballon d'Or.
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He also finished with five goals in the UEFA Champions League during that period and as the top scorer in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
However, these impressive numbers were not enough to help Osimhen garner enough votes from his peers.
Ronaldo and Benzema beat Osimhen to FIFPRO XI
Osimhen missed out as players selected Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as their top forwards of 2023.
Ronaldo and Benzema’s inclusion is surprising, though, as both players currently ply their trade in the Saudi Professional League.
While Benzema only joined the league last summer, Ronaldo has been in the league for over a year, joining on a free transfer from Manchester United.
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17:58 - 30.10.2023
Victor Osimhen tops Salah again: Emerges Africa's best and 8th in the world in Ballon d'Or rankings
Nigeria's Victor Osimhen finished ahead of Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
But despite playing in a less-fancied league, both players are ahead of Nigeria’s Osimhen. The final XI will be announced on January 14, 2024.
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