Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy has made history by becoming the first Nigerian artiste to present an award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. The event, held at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, marked the 70th edition of the prestigious football awards and was the first time the ceremony was hosted in London.
Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, presented the 2026 Sócrates Award to Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka. Organizers relocated the event to London to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the inaugural award, which was won by England’s Stanley Matthews in 1956.
The Sócrates Award is designed to recognize footballers who utilize their platform to support humanitarian causes. Saka, who represents England and has Nigerian heritage, received the honor for his charitable work with BigShoe, an organization that supports medical treatment for children, including operations conducted in Nigeria.
“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,” Burna Boy said.
Before presenting the award, the singer discussed his football academy in Nigeria, emphasizing its mission to support the sport within the country. His appearance at the Ballon d’Or ceremony followed closely on the heels of his halftime performance at the NFL Paris game the previous day.
The event highlighted the growing intersection of Nigerian cultural influence and global football, with Burna Boy’s participation serving as a significant milestone for Nigerian representation in international sporting ceremonies.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
