Nigerian stars Burna Boy and Adekunle Gold made a notable mark at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony held on 26 October at London’s Palladium.
Burna Boy became the first Nigerian artist to present an award at the prestigious event. He handed the Socrates Award to Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka in recognition of the player’s charity work supporting children in need. The moment was warmly received, with Burna Boy later posting a congratulatory message to Saka online.
Later in the evening, Adekunle Gold took to the stage at the afterparty, performing his track “Party No Dey Stop.” The lively set injected a clear Afrobeats flavour into the night’s celebrations.
On the football side, Harry Kane claimed the men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English winner since 2001. Alexia Putellas collected the women’s award. The presence of Burna Boy and Adekunle Gold underscored the growing crossover between global music culture and the world’s biggest football awards.
The evening highlighted how music and sport continue to intersect on the international stage, with African artists playing an increasingly visible role at major European events.
