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Rabiu Ali NOT nominated for 2025 Ballon d’Or

Fatimah Quadri
Fatimah Quadri
Reading Time: 1 min.
Ballon d'Or, Photo Credit : Punch Newspapers
Ballon d'Or, Photo Credit : Punch Newspapers

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A claim that Kano Pillars midfielder Rabiu Ali has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or has surfaced on the internet.

A Facebook acccount, Nigeria Premier League, posted the story with a caption: “𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: Rabiu Ali has been Nominated for the Ballon d’Or!. This comes after an impressive outing with Kano Pillars FC500 likes for Him#kanopillars #NPFL #FIFAADMIN General.”

Since the claim was posted on Thursday, August 7, 2025, it has garnered 2,000 views and 56 comments.

READ: AI-generated images circulated as Cristiano Ronaldo purchasing Man Utd shares

Rabiu Ali is a Nigerian Football player who currently plays for Kano Pillars and is the captain of the Nigerian football club.

CLAIM

Rabiu Ali has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub indicate that the claim is FALSE!

Screenshot of the claim; Insert FALSE verdict
Screenshot of the claim; Insert FALSE verdict

A quick look at the photo used to announce the alleged shortlist of players appeared blurry, raising questions about its authenticity. The Ballon d’Or, an annual football award presented by France Football since 1956, celebrates the best male and female footballers in the world based on their performances over the past year.

On Thursday, the organisers officially unveiled the shortlist for the 2025 edition, highlighting players who have delivered exceptional performances on the global stage.

Several Nigerian media outlets reported that Chiamaka Nnadozie, goalkeeper of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Falcons, and the team’s coach, Justine Madugu, were the only Nigerians who made the shortlist.

Contrary to the purported claim, a check on the Ballon d’Or’s official X  page revealed that the men’s shortlist did not include Rabiu Ali or any other male footballer of Nigerian descent.

THE VERDICT

The claim that Rabiu Ali was nominated for the Ballon d’Or is FALSE; his name does not appear on the official shortlist, which features only two Nigerians Chiamaka Nnadozie and Justine Madugu, from the women national team.

Fact-checker at The FactheckHub | fquadri@icirnigeria.org |  + posts

Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org.

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