Archive May 31, 2025

Once upon a time, names like Austin (Jay Jay) Okocha, Obafemi Martins, and Victor Ikpeba made headlines in Europe and at home. Today, a new crop of Nigerian players is making a name for themselves, following in the footsteps of these football greats. In the 2024/25 season, this fresh generation of stars lit up stadiums with goals, hoisted trophies, broke records, solidified their status, and etched their names into the history of their various clubs.

While Victor Osimhen’s heroics in Turkey have dominated conversations both at home and abroad, he is far from the only Nigerian player who made waves this campaign. Whether it is scoring goals, defending with grit, or dictating play from deeper positions, Nigerian players made the 2024/25 season unforgettable. 

From England to Turkey, France to Belgium, Nigerian players have made their mark in major European leagues, putting the country’s football firmly in the spotlight.

Here are some of the most outstanding Nigerian footballers who delivered star performances for their clubs in the 2024/25 campaign: 

Victor Osimhen, The Turkish Super Lig Star

When Osimhen joined Turkish side Galatasaray on a season-long loan deal last summer, his talent was not in doubt, despite falling out of favour at Napoli. Few, however, expected him to hit the ground running — helping the Lions win the domestic double and becoming a fan favourite in the process.  

The 26-year-old set and broke records in Turkey. He scored 25 goals in the Super Lig to win the Golden Boot as Galatasaray secured their 25th Turkish crown. With 36 goals in all competitions this season, Osimhen also broke Mario Jardel’s 24-year-old record for the most goals scored by a foreigner in the league. 

Alex Iwobi, Fulham’s Ever-Reliable Midfielder

While Osimhen’s exploits dominated headlines, Nigerian talents were also influential in the  Premier League. In England, Alex Iwobi was again outstanding this season, finishing as one of the most consistent performers in the top flight. The former Arsenal man played all 38 matches in the league. Iwobi did so in Everton colours in the 2022/23 season, becoming the first Super Eagle to reach that milestone twice after this season’s feat. 

The 29-year-old midfielder scored nine goals and provided six assists for the Cottagers — his best contribution in a single campaign.

Calvin Bassey, A Fulcrum In Fulham’s Defence 

As Iwobi was pulling the strings in the midfield, his national teammate, Calvin Bassey, enjoyed a similarly impressive season at the back for Marco Silva’s team. Defenders rarely get attention, but the 25-year-old Nigerian was a beacon in Fulham’s backline. He played 37 games this season for the West London club, 35 of them coming in the Premier League. Bassey scored twice —once in the league and once in the FA Cup. His goal against Manchester United in the FA Cup — Fulham won 4-3 on penalties in that fifth-round tie  — will be remembered for a long time.

Ola Aina: Forest’s Defending And Attacking Weapon 

Meanwhile, at Nottingham Forest, Aina’s defensive dexterity and attacking flair helped them from relegation fighters into — at some point this season —title contenders. 

Aina was at the heart of the transformation for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men. His solidity was key as Forest secured qualification for the Europa League. The versatile defender played 35 league matches in the 2024/25 term, scoring twice and providing one assist. In total, he featured in 37 games, helping power Nottingham to one of their most successful seasons. The Conference League qualification was Forest’s first European ticket since 1996. 

Dessers Delivers Goals In Glasgow 

Beyond the Premier League, Nigerian footballers also excelled in other parts of Europe. One of the season’s standout performers was Cyriel Dessers. Quietly impressive, Dessers netted 29 goals in all competitions — 18 of them in the Scottish Premier League for Rangers.

The 30-year-old Nigerian featured in 55 matches and finished as the league’s top scorer, even though Rangers ended a distant second behind champions Celtic. 

Chiamaka Nnadozie Heroics In Paris

The Nigerian impact this season was not limited to men’s football; Super Falcons’ safe pair of hands, Chiamaka Nnadozie, worked wonders between the sticks for Paris FC in France, helping them win a title that had eluded them for almost two decades. She was the heroine as the club won the Coupe de France Feminine, beating rivals Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties. 

Nnadozie saved two penalties in the shootout, delivering Paris FC’s first major trophy since 2005. Her performances included 12 clean sheets in 23 matches and earned her a second consecutive appearance in the Arkema Premiere Ligue Team of the Season. 

Uche Christantus, Nigeria’s Breakout Star in Spain

Another rising star who made waves in Europe was Uche Christantus. From playing in the third tier in Spain to being rated among La Liga’s standout midfielders, the Nigerian playmaker enjoyed a breakout campaign with Getafe.

Described as rugged and street-smart by fans and pundits, the highly rated Nigerian midfielder scored four goals and provided seven assists in 38 matches across all competitions for Azulones. Uche’s performances earned him multiple Team of the Week nods.

Expectedly, his fine form led to a national call-up. Though he missed the Unity Cup in London, he will be expected to feature in future Super Eagles games as Nigeria gear up for World Cup qualification and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). 

Anas Yusuf: Domestic League Hero

Not all Nigerian stars ply their trade abroad — back home in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) — a goal king made his mark. 

Deadly on setpieces, Anas Yusuf was a nightmare for defenders and was an unstoppable force for Nasarawa United this season. The powerful forward scored 18 goals with two assists for the Solid Miners, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the NPFL this campaign. 

Although his team finished 12th on the log, “The Chairman,” as Anas is fondly called, earned the Golden Boot and added his name to the storied books of Nigerian league legends.

 Tolu Arokodare: The Lanky Goal Poacher Who Took Belgium By Storm

Meanwhile, Super Eagles new boy Tolu Arokodare had a standout season in Belgium, his contributions for Genk earning him the top scorer award. The Nigerian forward scored 21 times and provided five assists in 30 league appearances to win the coveted prize in the Jupiler League. Arokodare is with Nigeria in London where they are featuring in the Unity Cup. He made his debut earlier in the year with the Super Eagles in a match against Rwanda in a 2026 World Cup qualification match. 

The lanky forward is already attracting interest from top clubs in Europe. 

What Does The Future Hold For Nigerian Stars?

Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain clash in the Champions League final on Saturday, with the French side hoping to win the first-ever title while the Italians are looking to win their fourth.

An experienced Inter will face a PSG team that is making their second final since the transformative Qatari takeover of the club in 2011, which will take place at Bayern Munich’s 75, 000-capacity Allianz Arena at 9:00 pm (15:00 GMT).

Whoever wins will become the champions of Real Madrid, and the excitement is high once more in Paris.

More than 5, 000 police officers will be stationed throughout the city to prevent trouble and watch 40, 000 people watch on large screens at PSG’s Parc des Princes.

A contest between one of the continent’s old guard and one of the state-owned modern superclubs will be the venue for a mouthwatering clash of opposing styles and ideas of how to build a team.

PSG has never won the Champions League, despite massive expenditures, with their closest match-winning goal coming in 2020.

Despite having Kylian Mbappe and Neymar up front, they lost to Bayern in Lisbon during the pandemic, behind closed doors.

They failed to win the trophy until Lionel Messi’s arrival in 2021, and Mbappe followed them out of the exit door with a brilliant run to Munich.

“Do something historic”

The club’s captain Marquinhos said on Friday, “We have had great times and difficult times, but we have a glorious opportunity to do something remarkable and historic for this club.”

An exciting young Parisian side has recently blown Europe by storm under the direction of Luis Enrique, whose comeback victory in January against 2023 champions Manchester City serves as the catalyst.

In order to reach the final, PSG have since defeated three more Premier League teams, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and PSG, and have since doubled their French league and cup winnings.

With 33 goals, Ousmane Dembele has been their star player, but Gianluigi Donnarumma and former Inter full-back Achraf Hakimi and Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma have also excelled.

Luis Enrique, who is aiming to win his second Champions League after ten years of dominating Barcelona, said, “My main motivation is to make history for Paris and give the club and the city something to celebrate.”

With a victory for PSG, PSG would become only the second French team to win the championship, surpassing Marseille in 1993 when they defeated Inter’s city rivals AC Milan at the old Olympic Stadium in Munich.

Italian knowledge

When Jose Mourinho’s side defeated Bayern in 2010, Inter were the last Italian champions. In the 1960s, they also won it twice in a row.

When the Nerazzurri reached the championship match two years ago and lost to City, coach Simone Inzaghi was already in charge.

Eight of the Istanbul team’s original starting lineup could start over here, and a veteran line-up should feature three players over the age of 36.

Inzaghi’s team defeated Barcelona in a dramatic tie in the final four, while Bayern advanced to the quarter-finals.

Nicolo Barella, a midfielder, said, “We produced a top-class performance last time against Manchester City, but we didn’t win. This time, we hope to be a little more switched on.”

The team just lost to Napoli for the Serie A title, but “we will try to bring home the trophy, that is the dream for all of us,” Barella, whose side, according to Barella, has just finished third behind them in terms of points.

Lautaro Martinez, the competition’s skipper, said, “We have earned respect.”

“We have worked very hard to get here, and now we have a chance to accomplish this goal that Inter have been pursuing for 15 years.”

It is, unsurprisingly, the teams’ first competitive game.

Whoever wins will receive prizes worth more than 100 million euros ($113.35 million) from UEFA.

Back in Paris fanzones have been set up at three locations besides PSG’s stadium as supporters descend into the German city.

Following PSG’s last-four victory against Arsenal, there was a high level of violence, and a leading supporters’ group called for any fan celebrations on Saturday to be avoided.

The Paris Ultras Collective (CUP) urged people to “maintain pride and act in anexemplary way, regardless of whether the outcome is an explosion of joy or a lesson learned.”