Written by 
Samuel – October 12, 2024
The Ballon d’Or has traditionally been dominated by European and South American players, with Argentine captain Lionel Messi winning the most with eight.
African players have been significantly underrepresented in the prestigious award over the years, with only George Weah having the opportunity to become the only African player to ever win the honor in 1995, breaking the domination of European and South American players.
However, since George Weah reached that height, other African players have proved their brilliance in Europe by scoring and setting records, but no African player has yet claim claimed the top spot, with Sadio Mané finishing second in 2022.
Several African players are currently dominating Europe with their tremendous skills and abilities but it remains to be seen whether another African player can reach George Weah’s level of winning the most coveted individual award in football.
Therefore, we will explore the feasibility of another African player winning the prestigious award in the modern footballing world.
Historical Context
George Weah performed brilliantly for French giants Paris Saint Germain in the 1994/95 season, scoring eighteen goals across all competitions for the club. He was also pivotal in the club’s success in winning Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, and a sensational third place finish in Ligue 1.
The Liberian icon was by far the best player in the world during the 1994/95 season and it’s no surprise that he won the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995, becoming the first and only African player to accomplish this feat.
Moving on, Sadio Mané came closest to winning the prestigious award in 2022, placing second to Karim Benzema after a successful year with Liverpool and leading Senegal to their first Africa Nations Cup trophy.
Many African players have since made the award list, with the most recent being Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, who made the top thirty Ballon d’Or list in 2024.
Top Challengers
Several African players across Europe are impressing in their respective clubs and establishing themselves as notable players. However, we will look at some profile of players that have taken the globe by storm and are at the forefront of African excellence.
Ademola Lookman
The Nigerian forward is highly regarded as the current top-performing African player, with his stats speaking volumes.
Lookman has had tremendous seasons with Atalanta since joining the club in 2022. He scored seventeen goals and provided nine assists across all competitions for the Italian club last season.
He also played a key role in leading Nigeria to the 2023 AFCON Final, where he netted three goals in the tournament.
The Super Eagles forward has continued to smash European records, most recently becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the Europa League final, which he did for Atalanta against Bayer Leverkusen in May 2024.
Victor Boniface
The Nigerian striker is also having a fantastic season in Europe for his club Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, scoring goals and contributing assists.
He was an important player for the team, which won Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and German Super Cup titles, as well as finishing the league unbeaten, scoring twenty-one goals in all competitions.
Additionally, he has also continued his exceptional performance this season, having contributed one assist and four league goals in six appearances prior to the international break.
The Challenges
African players in Europe confront numerous hurdles in achieving the same degree of recognition as their European counterparts, which is a key impediment to African players reaching significant heights in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
This is a major challenge for many African players in Europe, as they do not receive adequate media coverage from Europe’s leading media outlets.
Several African footballers are performing at a high level with incredible stats, but they lack media awareness and publicity to reach a global audience.
Club Opportunities
Several African players do not get the opportunity to play for renowned clubs in Europe, which influences award rankings. Playing for big clubs attracts greater media attention and provides the possibility to win European trophies, which is particularly essential in the individual award standings.
Global Stage Performance
Global stage performance in national teams such as the World Cup is pivotal for a player to earn prestigious award and gain exposure to a global audience. However, African Nations always struggle to get beyond the group stage in the World cup, limiting their prospects of finishing in the top ranking.
The Verdict
African Players have performed remarkably in Europe over the years, and new African stars have recently flocked to European clubs, indicating a positive trend for African excellence.
Top-tier performances always attract proposals from prominent teams, resulting in a high level of global recognition. Several African footballers are now competing in renowned teams across Europe, raising the prospects of Ballon d’Or honors.
There is still much work to be done by African players to achieve a top finish in the award category by performing consistently and winning European silverware but with the current improved African excellence in Europe, we believe that in the coming years, an African player will be crowned as the Ballon d’Or winner.