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2023/24 was quiet a remarkable season for Nigerian footballers, so we decided to rank the best ten performers, as a lot of our players were making headlines across various leagues, from Serie A to Bundesliga, from the Premier League to Ligue 1, from La Liga to Scottish Premiership, Greece Super League, Saudi pro League, these Nigerian footballers have been nothing short of remarkable.
Here's Fantaxtik Sports ranking of Nigerian footballers in 2023/24 season. NOTE: Only eligible Nigerian footballers were ranked.
10. Stanley Nwabali Chippas United goalkeeper in the DStv Premier League South Africa broke out of limelight this year 2024 with outstanding performances playing for Nigeria national team in Afcon, where he kept 4 clean sheets and won man of the match against South Africa.
He make a total of 25 appearances for Chippas United saved 71 shots, conceded 22 with 9 clean sheets, won man of the match thrice, helping his club to the top of DStv Premier League standing. Average Performance ranked 7.27/10.
9. Odion Ighalo, the Al Wehda striker is still shooting from all cylinder in the Saudi Pro-league this season. Making 31 appearances, scored 15 goals and 2 assists...won 2 man of the match this season.
Former Nigeria international is now on free transfer with an average performance ranked 7.29/10.
8. Terem Moffi, the OGC Nice attacker, played in the vast majority of his club's Ligue 1 matches in 2023/2024, making 30 appearances, scored 11 goals and 2 assists this Ligue 1 season, making him the top league scorer for his team.
Moffi was also part of Nigeria national team at afcon 2024, where he played 3 games, being introduced as the third striker and help the Super Eagles to the final. Average performance ranked 7.62/10.
7. Williams Troost Ekong the Paok Salonika center back in the Greece Super League played only 10 games for his club and spent most of the season nursing an injury.
However, Troost-Ekong played a pivotal role as captain of Nigeria national team in afcon 2024 campaign, where he became the most valuable player of the tournament (MVP), scored 3 goals and led his country to the final with a rare reputation as a center back that score goals. He was name in CAF Afcon XI team, Average Performance ranked 7.81/10.
6. Alex Iwobi, Old Fulham midfielder played a key role for his team's English Premier League campaign this season, making 30 appearances, scored 6 goals and 2 assists. He also set a career high with 55 shots and created 53 chances, his second most in a Premier League season.
Iwobi played a key role as a playmaker for Nigeria national team 2024 afcon campaign. With his versatility, he was tasked with safe circulation and helping the team keep its discipline without the ball, leading the Super Eagles to the final of the tournament. Average Performance Ranked 7.88/10.
5. Ola Aina, the Nottingham Forest enterprising defender, has taken part in a strong number of his team's Premier League matches in 2023/2024, making 22 appearances overall and playing 1,701 minutes. He scored 1 goal and 1 assist, but known for always starting attack, running the flank and making dangerous incursions into the opponent's eight yard as well as his accurate crosses has won him man of the match 3 times.
Aina played as both a right and left full back for Nigeria national team in their afcon 2024 campaign. Full of ember as he overlaps forward and backward in succession. He was named in the CAf Afcon best XI, Average Performance ranked 8.06/10.
4. Cyriel Dessers, the Rangers striker got red hot in the Scottish Premier League this season. Scored overall 22 goals in 52 games, 8 assists to place as the 4th highest goal scorer in the premiership with 16 goals. Dessers won man of the match 4 times with averaged performance rate - ranked 8.3/10.
However, Dessers didn't make the cut into Nigeria national team that completed for afcon 2024, but his incredible form could not be easily ignored as he has since been recalled back to the national team.
3. Victor Osimhen, the maskman and Napoli warlord in the Italian Serie A, came into the season with so many feathers to his cap. The African player of the year 2023 scored overall 17 and 4 assists. He scored 15 Serie A goals and 3 in the champions League.
Osimhen led the Nigeria national team to afcon final, where he scored 1 goal, but played a yo-man game, many a time as a false 9 to allow players like Ademola Lookman to do the damage. Averaged Performance rate - ranked 8.53/10.
2. Victor Boniface, the Bayer 04 Leverkusen deadly striker in Bundesliga. Perhaps the hottest African striker this season despite battling injury. He scored overall 23 goals and 9 assists. The attacker netted 14 Bundesliga goals this season helping his club to win converted title without loosing a game. Bundesliga named Boniface the best young player 2023/24 with the Rookie of the year Award. Voted man of the match in 3 successive games and 10 overall, in what has been incredible season for the Nigerian.
Boniface got injured in training, six days before the start of afcon 2024 after he was favoured to lead the Nigeria national team onslaught in Cote d'Ivoire. Average performance rate - ranked 9.2/10.
1. Ademola Lookman, the Atlanta Season sensational attacking midfielder in Italian Serie A bust the international media box office with an incredible hat trick at the Europa final helping his club win the converted trophy. The attacking midfielder has scored overall 18 goals...scored 9 Serie A goals this season, whilst he also ranks joint 10th for Serie A assists this season having set up six goals for his team-mates.
Greatly in-form Lookman scored 3 goals in afcon 2024, won man of the match twice and was selected in CAf Afcon XI team of the tournament. Ademola was the second best player of the tournament. Average performance rate - ranked 9.4/10
