Abdulsalam Hammad
Nigerian music superstar, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu popularly known as Burna Boy made history on Monday, October 26, 2026 becoming the first Nigerian artiste in history to present an award at the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Grammy-winning singer took the stage at the London Palladium to present the Socrates Award during the 70th edition of the football awards.
This year’s ceremony was historic on its own. For the first time in seventy years, the Ballon d’Or was moved from Paris to London to mark seven decades since England’s Stanley Matthews won the inaugural award in 1956.
Burna Boy was invited to the stage by presenters Kate Scott and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Before announcing the winner, he was asked about his own football project back home in Nigeria. The singer used the global platform to speak about the Burna Boy Football Academy, an initiative he said he started a few years ago to support football culture and develop grassroots talent in Nigeria.
In his words on stage, he said, “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.” The statement drew loud applause from the audience at the Palladium and has since gone viral across Nigerian social media.
He then announced Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka as the winner of the 2026 Socrates Award. The Socrates Award is named after the late Brazilian football icon Socrates and is given annually to footballers and their foundations who deploy their influence and resources to support outstanding humanitarian and social causes off the pitch. Saka, who has Nigerian heritage, was honoured for his extensive charitable work with BigShoe, an organization that funds life-changing medical treatment for children.
According to details from the organisers, Saka’s foundation has helped fund eye surgeries and other surgical procedures for children in Nigeria, including 120 life-changing surgeries for children in Kano, as well as supporting about 100 more children in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. During the ceremony, Saka reportedly read an emotional letter from a 14-year-old boy in Rwanda who regained his sight through his charity. His work has made him one of the most respected figures connecting Nigerian roots with the English game.
The moment of Burna Boy handing the trophy to Saka, two Nigerians excelling on the world stage, was described by many fans as a proud Naija moment. The official Ballon d’Or X account posted Burna Boy’s entrance with the caption “Burna Boy!” while the Premier League account posted the handshake photo of Burna Boy and Saka.
Burna Boy’s appearance in London came just hours after he delivered an electrifying performance at the 2026 NFL Paris Halftime Show at Stade de France on Sunday, during the matchup between Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. The singer is no stranger to major global sporting stages. In 2023, he performed at the NBA All-Star Game and the UEFA Champions League final kickoff show, and in 2026 he performed alongside Shakira at the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show.
Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold was also in attendance at the ceremony and reportedly announced a performance at the official after-party.
In other winners on the night, England captain Harry Kane won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, defeating Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe, becoming the first English player to win the award in 25 years, while Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the 2026 women’s Ballon d’Or.
