Nigeria are one of Africa’s most iconic national sides with three AFCON titles to their name and a string of memorable performances at the World Cup.
The Super Eagles have produced countless high profile players at top clubs throughout world football, from mavericks like Jay-Jay Okocha to midfield enforcers such as John Obi-Mikel.
Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman hope to lead the current generation to glory, but who is the greatest Nigerian footballer of all time?
10) Victor Osimhen
Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed
Osimhen is the only active player to crack the top ten, as it’s impossible to leave the striker out given his success at club and international level.
The towering front man is forever etched into Italian football history after helping end Napoli’s title drought in the 2022-23 season, racking up 26 league goals and being crowned both Serie A player of the year and African footballer of the year.
At international level, Osimhen only made his senior debut in 2017 but is already one of the country’s greatest ever goalscorers, with just a handful more goals needed to pass Rashidi Yekini in first place.
9) Vincent Enyeama
Vincent Enyeama is Nigeria’s greatest goalkeeper ever. With incredible reflexes, leadership, and consistency, he anchored the Super Eagles for over a decade, racking up 101 caps for his national side.
He captained Nigeria to the 2013 AFCON title and starred at multiple World Cups, particularly in 2014, where he produced memorable performances in clean sheets against Iran and Bosnia
At club level, the legendary shot-stopper won the Nigerian Premier League three times in the early 2000s before spending over half a decade in France starring for Lille.
8) Finidi George
Nigeria-2013-afcon-winners
Finidi George was one of Africa’s finest wingers in the 1990s and a player who the likes of Lookman and Alex Iwobi will no doubt be looking up to.
With incredible pace and crossing that David Beckham would be proud of, he was a key part of Ajax’s golden generation that won the 1995 UEFA Champions League.
For the Super Eagles, Finidi was instrumental in the 1994 AFCON triumph and featured prominently in World Cups.
Consistency at elite club level and success internationally make Finidi one of Nigeria’s most accomplished players of all time, having also won the Eredivisie three times during his spell at Ajax.
7) John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel redefined the role of a Nigerian midfielder. Known for his intelligence, reading of the game and composure on the ball, he enjoyed most of his success at Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Europa League.
Jose Mourinho once called him the “miracle man” due to his ability to play as a destroyer, marauding box to box midfielder or even as a number ten, with that versatility marking him out as one of the greatest midfielders in the Premier League in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
As captain, Mikel led Nigeria to AFCON victory in 2013 and an Olympic bronze medal in 2016. His leadership and discipline were crucial in stabilising teams filled with attacking talent.
6) Sunday Oliseh
On the topic of tough tackling midfielders, Sunday Oliseh was the engine of Nigeria’s midfield during its most successful era. A powerful and ruthless number six with tactical intelligence and leadership to boot, he played a crucial role in the 1994 AFCON win, 1996 Olympic gold, and multiple World Cup campaigns.
At club level, Oliseh featured for top European sides including Ajax, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, making him one of the most decorated exports from Nigerian football.
His iconic long-range goal against Spain at the 1998 World Cup remains one of Nigerian sport’s greatest moments.
5) Segun Odegbami
Segun “Mathematical” Odegbami was Nigeria’s first true football superstar. Playing primarily in the 1970s and early 1980s, he was a dynamic winger known for his pace, intelligence and ability to step up in the big moments.
He starred in Nigeria’s first AFCON victory in 1980, scoring crucial goals throughout the tournament. His understanding of the game and off-the-ball movement were ahead of his time, creating the pathway for the growth of some of the country’s greatest attacking talents.
Odegbami helped lay the foundation for modern African football, inspiring generations long before the continent gained the type of global footballing exposure it has today.
4) Stephen Keshi
Stephen Keshi is one of a kind as a man who both captained and managed Nigeria to AFCON glory, starring in the 1994 team and later coaching them to another title in 2013.
As a defender, he was strong, commanding, and tactically astute.
Keshi enjoyed a successful club career in Europe, notably in Belgium, and also represented Nigeria in two World Cups and was a pillar of the golden generation.
As a coach, he rebuilt Nigerian football with locally based players, restoring national pride at a time when the national side was struggling. His legacy as both a player and coach cements his spot as one of the greatest of all time.
3) Nwankwo Kanu
A two-time African Footballer of the Year, Kanu won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax, multiple Premier League titles with Arsenal, and an Olympic gold medal in 1996 with Nigeria, making him one of the greatest African footballers of all time.
Overcoming a life-threatening heart condition early in his career, Kanu went on to enjoy remarkable longevity at the highest level, inspiring not only with his ability but with his resilience and fortitude.
His intelligent movement, ball control and lethal finishing made him a unique forward who thrived in tight spaces despite his huge 6 foot 5 frame.
Kanu’s post-playing career and humanitarian work further enhance his legacy, with the Kanu Heart Foundation tackling homelessness, building hospitals and paying for life-changing medical care.
2) Jay-Jay Okocha
Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha is widely regarded as Nigeria’s most technically gifted footballer ever and one of the most “Barclays” players of all time.
Blessed with extraordinary dribbling ability, flair, and creativity, Okocha played the game with a smile on his face, and has even been compared to Brazil legend Ronaldinho.
He was the heartbeat of the Super Eagles for over a decade, starring in three World Cups and winning the 1994 AFCON. At club level, he shone for Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, PSG, and Bolton Wanderers, where he became a cult hero in the Premier League.
Okocha’s influence went beyond trophies – he changed how Nigerian footballers were perceived globally.
1) Rashidi Yekini
Rashidi Yekini stands as the most iconic striker in Nigerian football history. He remains Nigeria’s all-time leading goalscorer with 37 goals in 58 appearances, a record that has never seriously been threatened until Osimhen’s emergence.
His physical strength and clinical finishing made him a nightmare for defenders throughout the late 1980s and 1990s.
Yekini’s legacy is inseparable from Nigeria’s first World Cup goal in 1994, scored against Bulgaria. His emotional celebration – clutching the net and shouting in disbelief – became one of the most enduring images in World Cup history.
He also finished as the tournament’s top scorer in Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON triumph.
Yekini remains the benchmark against which all Nigerian players are measured.
Atletico Madrid have intensified efforts to sign Ademola Lookman as the Turkish club Fenerbahce edge closer to completing a deal for the Nigeria forward, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Spanish side tried to sign the 28-year-old last summer but failed to reach an agreement with Atalanta.
Their primary midfield target, Leon Goretzka, announced on Friday that he would not leave Bayern Munich until the summer, forcing Sporting Director Mateu Alemany to pursue alternative options.
Atletico are now targeting Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi for midfield reinforcement, but Lookman remains their priority signing.
However, competition for the Nigeria international is fierce. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Fenerbahce’s deal is at the final stages, with the Turkish club offering a package worth €40m including variables.
According to Spanish publication Marca, Atletico acknowledge that Fenerbahce’s bid is currently higher than theirs, though they will do all they can to bring Lookman to Spain.
The player had expressed interest in a move to Spain during the summer.
Diario AS reports that Fenerbahce sporting director Devin Ozek is currently in Bergamo trying to finalise the deal.
Romano posted on Friday that while Atalanta and Fenerbahce have a verbal agreement on a €40m package, they are yet to agree on payment terms and conditions.
He added that Atletico Madrid have been calling in recent hours to ask about deal conditions.
Atletico could return for both Goretzka and Lookman in the summer, depending on what business Alemany completes before February 2.
FC Bayern Munich have confirmed that midfielder Leon Goretzka will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The confirmation was given by Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund, who said the 29-year-old will complete the season with the club before moving on as a free agent in the summer.
According to Fabrizio Romano’s post on Friday, Freund was quoted as saying, “Leon Goretzka will leave FC Bayern in the summer as a free agent, not now. Leon’s time at FC Bayern will be over in the summer. He will go another way after 8 successful years. We’ll fight together in the coming months to achieve big things.”
The statement rules out any immediate departure, with Bayern expecting Goretzka to remain part of the squad for the rest of the campaign.
Goretzka joined Bayern in 2018 from Schalke and has been a key member of one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
During his time in Munich, he won multiple Bundesliga titles, domestic cups, and the UEFA Champions League.
Despite increased competition for places in recent seasons, the Germany international has remained an experienced figure within the squad.
Bayern and Goretzka are now set to focus on their remaining objectives for the season before the midfielder begins a new chapter in his career this summer.
West Ham announced on Wednesday that they had signed winger Adama Traore from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
The 30-year-old will be reunited at the London Stadium with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, with whom he worked previously at Wolves.
The Premier League strugglers described the forward as “strong, quick and able to create and score goals”.
Traore, who has been a peripheral player for Fulham this season, came through Barcelona’s youth system before joining Aston Villa in 2015. He has also played for Middlesbrough and Wolves.
The winger, who has made 262 Premier League appearances, scoring 14 goals, said he wanted to help relegation-threatened West Ham to the “maximum”.
“I love the challenges,” he said. “I think, of course, we have to go game by game. And this is what we’re going to do, trying to do our best. I think everything comes from belief. And I believe we’re going to achieve what we’re looking for.”
Nuno is relishing the chance to link up again with Traore, who has won eight caps for Spain.
“Adama is someone who knows the Premier League very well, and his qualities, both as a player and a person, will help us between now and the end of the season,” he said.
“He will give us a different option in attacking areas. He is also motivated to fight for us and ready to bring energy, commitment and determination to our challenge.”
West Ham are third from bottom of the Premier League, five points from safety, but have won their past two matches, against Tottenham and Sunderland.
The club has been active in the January transfer window as they battle for survival, signing forwards Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos earlier this month.
