Burna Boy hopes to see a Nigerian footballer win an award at the Ballon d’Or one day, and his appearance at Monday’s ceremony brought him together with Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka, an England international of Nigerian heritage, Footynaija.com reports.
The singer presented Saka with the Sócrates Award in London, where Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or after scoring 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England during the 2025/26 season.
For Burna Boy, the moment carried a personal connection to Nigerian football. He said he started a football academy a few years ago to support the game back home and hopes one of its players, or another Nigerian talent, will eventually earn recognition at the ceremony.
Related Post
“Something I started a few years ago, just to support the football culture back home. Hopefully, inshallah, one day I’ll come back here to see one of my people getting an award in Ballon d’Or,” he said.
Nigeria has produced players who have excelled at the highest level, but no Nigerian has won the men’s Ballon d’Or. Burna’s wish points to a bigger challenge to turn the country’s supply of football talent into a player capable of competing for the sport’s most prestigious individual prize.
Saka’s own connection to Nigeria made the presentation particularly fitting. Born in London to Nigerian parents, the Arsenal winger received the award for his charitable work with BigShoe, which helps children access medical treatment.
In 2022, Saka helped fund life-changing surgeries for 120 children in Kano. The following year, he supported operations for another 100 children in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, according to TheCable.
The Sócrates Award recognises players who use their influence and resources to support humanitarian causes. Introduced in 2022, previous recipients include Senegal forward Sadio Mané and Brazil international Vinícius Júnior.
Saka’s honour came on a night when Kane claimed the main prize, becoming the first Englishman to win the men’s Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern striker also helped his club win a domestic treble and finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for a third consecutive season.
Burna Boy’s wish remains a distant ambition, but his academy gives it a practical starting point. Saka’s award offered another reminder that Nigerian heritage continues to shape football at the highest level, both on the pitch and beyond it.
