SCORENigeria concludes its exciting series on the best Nigerian players across the world this past season with the Top 5 stars.
5: Samuel Chukwueze
Winger
Villarreal CF
37 Appearances, 6 Goals, 5 Assists
This was his best-ever season in Spain since his arrival in 2018. Besides six goals and five assists in La Liga, the exciting winger produced four goals and two assists in the Copa del Rey and two goals and three assists in the UEFA Conference League. Chukwueze has long been criticized for lacking consistency, but this past campaign he was on top of his game for most part. He was named the best African star in La Liga. He could also do well to improve on his numbers with the Super Eagles, where he has so far scored four goals in 28 appearances.
4: Ademola Lookman
Forward
Atalanta
31 Appearances, 13 Goals, 8 Assists
The 25-year-old Super Eagles winger was an instant hit in his first season in the Italian Serie A with 13 goals and eight assists in 31 appearances. A winger or second striker, Lookman also netted twice in two appearances in the cup competition in Italy. He thus justified his big-money transfer from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig. It was also a handsome return that helped his club Atalanta to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. A Nigeria international since March 2022, he now has seven caps and opened his goals account in the 10-0 pummeling of Sao Tome last year June.
3: Terem Moffi
Striker
OGC Nice
34 Appearances, 18 Goals, 3 Assists
This 24-year-old striker produced his best season in the French Ligue 1 in the season under review. His tally of 18 goals (12 at FC Lorient and six at Nice) has eclipsed his Ligue 1 career-best of 14 achieved in the 2020/2021 season. He also debuted in the UEFA Conference League, where he weighed in with three goals in four appearances. After a slow start on loan at Nice, he has got the guns firing again and a lot more will be expected of him in the new season. He now also has three goals in 10 appearances for the Super Eagles.
2: Gift Orban
Striker
KAA Gent
16 Appearances, 15 Goals, 2 Assists
The explosive striker was simply sensational for KAA Gent since his arrival from Norway in January. He delivered 15 goals in 16 appearances in the Belgian league to ensure Gent will play again in the UEFA Conference League in the new season. He also made history by firing the quickest hat-trick in the Conference League at Istanbul Basaksehir of Turkey. He netted five goals in six appearances in that competition. Before all these, he scored 16 goals and made seven assists for Stabaek to return to the Norwegian top flight. Super Eagles fans are eagerly awaiting his international debut.
1: Victor Osimhen
Striker
Napoli
32 Appearances, 26 Goals, 5 Assists
He is the undisputed poster boy of Nigeria football after a stellar season with Napoli and the numbers do not lie – 26 goals, 5 assists (Serie A), 5 goals (UEFA Champions League) and seven goals for the Super Eagles in the period under review. He has now netted 17 goals in 25 appearances for Nigeria at full international level. His goals won Napoli the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years, he was crowned first-ever African Goal King of Serie A and he is now the most prolific African ever in the Italian top league after he broke the record of George Weah. Understandably, he is now the most valued player ever in Serie A on the Transfermakt – 120 Million Euros.
