Nigeria is a footballing powerhouse in Africa, winning the Africa Cup of Nations three times and representing the continent several times in the FIFA World Cup. It is not a coincidence that the nation has several top-class players who ply their trade in top European Leagues.
This article explores the best talents in Nigeria. More specifically, we cover their career path and style of play.
Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi was born in May 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria. The 24-year-old started his career at Arsenal, rising through the academy’s ranks to the first team. He stayed at the London-based club for 15 years before moving to Everton in August 2019.
At Arsenal, Iwobi played mostly as an attacking midfielder. Between 2015 and 2019, he made 100 appearances for the club and scored 11 goals.
From Arsenal to Everton means that upto now Iwobi has played only in the English Premier league, which is the best league in the world. The league is also one of most betted leagues in the world. Talking about betting, you can actually get tips on betting odds here or other similar sites.
Although he is eligible to play for England, Iwobi chose to represent his country. He played for Nigeria in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi Iheanacho is a left-footer striker who plays for Leicester City and the Nigerian National Team. He was born in October 1996 in Imo, Nigeria. Before moving to Leicester, he played for and won multiple titles with Manchester City.
Iheanacho began his career in his early teens before joining the Manchester City Youth Academy. He would go on to join the senior team, where he mostly played second fiddle to Sergio Agüero.
Another highlight of Iheanacho’s career came when he scored against Bournemouth, making him one of the few players to reach 10 Premier League goals before turning 20. Other notable names in this list are Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, and Marcus Rashford.
Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen plays for Napoli and the Nigerian National Team. He is known for his composure and clinical finishing and is widely regarded as one of the most promising African footballers.
Osimhen started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos. Following his impressive performance in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Victor earned a pre-contract with German club VfL Wolfsburg. The contract stipulated that he would join the German club in January 2017.
Things didn’t work out at Wolfsburg, prompting Osimhen to join Charleroi on loan, where he scored 20 goals in 36 appearances. Victor’s breakthrough came at Lille, where he scored 13 league goals in 25 matches. He also found the net in a UEFA Champions League match against Chelsea, which was his first in the competition.
On 31 July 2020, Napoli signed Osimhen for a reported fee of €70 million, making him the most expensive African player to date.
Wilfred Ndidi
Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi is a defensive midfielder who plays for Leicester City and the Nigerian National Team. His standout qualities are tackling and powerful long-range shots.
Ndidi started his club career at Genk in the Belgian Pro League. He signed for Leicester in January 2017, making his debut in a 2-1 win against Everton. Later in December, Ndidi got sent off the first time in his career in a 3-0 loss against Crystal Palace.
Because of his versatility, Ndidi can also play as a central defender. He suffered an adductor injury in late September and is expected to return in early January.
Samuel Chukwueze
Born in Abia State, Nigeria, Samuel Chukwueze began his career at the Diamond Football Academy before joining the prolific youth setup at Villarreal CF. Because of his speed and agile dribbling, he is often compared to Arjen Robben.
After a year in the academy, Chukwueze made his first team debut in September 2018, in a UEFA Europa League match against Rangers FC. A month later, he started a league game against Levante and played for 90 minutes.
In November 2018, Chukwueze played his first game for the Nigerian National Team. He scored his first goal for Nigeria in the AFCON quarter-final match against South Africa.
Final Words
We might just have covered a few because the list is long, but at least you now know about these young Nigerian talents. You know the facts about their careers and style of play.