Former Nigeria defender Sam Sodje believes Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman can return to the Ballon d’Or spotlight if they show greater consistency and their teams perform better at club and international level.

His comments come after England captain Harry Kane won the 2026 award at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26. No Nigerian was among the 30 men’s nominees.

Osimhen finished eighth in the 2023 rankings, which remains the best result by a Nigerian man. Lookman placed 14th in 2024.

Sodje said individual brilliance alone was not always enough to win football’s biggest individual prize.

“I know the Ballon d’Or is an individual award, but football in general is not individual. It depends on how your team is playing,” Sodje told Africafoot.

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“I think the national team not doing well might have affected the players as well. They have not been in top form.”

He also pointed to Osimhen’s situation at Galatasaray, where the striker has stayed since leaving Napoli.

“Osimhen has been playing well, but he is in Turkey, and his team has not been among the best clubs in the Champions League or other competitions,” he said.

“They are doing well, but it just shows you that, when it comes to the Ballon d’Or, your team needs to be playing well.”

Sodje added that the pair must keep working hard despite missing out.

“Personally, they have not had their best performances or been in their best form. There are many factors,” he said.

“I have played the game for a long time, so I know that when confidence comes in, you can have a good game or a good period. They cannot regret it. They just have to keep working hard. When your country is doing well, it does help.”

The numbers were not poor. Osimhen ended the 2025/26 season with 30 goal contributions in all competitions, while Lookman managed 12 goals and six assists. Together, they scored seven of Nigeria’s 14 goals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, the assessment window ran from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, and Nigeria did not qualify for the World Cup. Performances on that stage carry heavy weight with the judges.

Liberia’s George Weah remains the only African man to win the Ballon d’Or, in 1995.