Top 10 Best Nigerian Soccer Players In Europe (2024)

Nigerian footballers have consistently ranked among the most exciting players in European leagues. Their power, pace, and technical skills are undeniable.

If you ask me, these players are making a difference for their respective clubs. This guide provides a list of the best Nigerian footballers currently playing in European leagues based on their current form, League, and overall impact on the team and their past achievements.

See List of Nigerian Players In Europe

1. Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Serie A)

Victor Osimhen, playing for Napoli in Serie A, has shown remarkable performance in the 2023/2024 season. With 11 goals scored in 17 matches, he is the fifth-highest scorer in the league.

His skill for converting shots into goals is obvious with a conversion rate of 15.28%. Beyond scoring, Osimhen has contributed significantly with 4 assists, placing him at number 245 in Serie A for this season.

His playmaking ability is also highlighted by the 4 chances he created, ranking him at the same spot in the league. In terms of defensive contributions, Osimhen has proven himself, winning 54 aerial duels and completing 74 tackles.

Also, he’s made 5 blocks to show his defensive versatility. Considering his overall performance across various metrics, Osimhen holds the 188th position in Serie A after match day 27.

2. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, Championship)

Wilfred Ndidi is one of the top Nigerian footballers In Europe at the moment, playing for Leicester City in the Championship. Ndidi has been doing well this season.

He’s played in 24 matches and scored 2 goals, one at home and one away. On average, he scores 0.12 goals per 90 minutes.

He’s also helped in 5 more goals, which means he’s been part of 7 goals in total, averaging 0.42 per 90 minutes. His expected goals without penalties per 90 minutes are 0.21, which is quite good and puts him in the top 74 percentile of Championship players.

When it comes to shooting, Ndidi has a 44.00% accuracy rate and scores a goal for every 12.50 shots he takes. He usually takes about 1.58 shots per 90 minutes.

As for passing, he completes around 34.80 passes per game with an 81.13% success rate. He also creates chances, making 1.39 key passes per game, resulting in significant scoring opportunities.

His expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes is 0.33, which is impressive and puts him in the top 97 percent of players in the Championship.

In terms of discipline, Ndidi has received 3 yellow cards but no red cards in the 24 matches he’s played. He commits about 1.39 fouls per 90 minutes.

Overall, Ndidi’s performance shows he’s a valuable player for Leicester City, contributing both offensively and defensively to the team’s success in the Championship.

3. Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, Premier League)

Taiwo Awoniyi, currently playing for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, has been Incredible in European football. In the 2023/2024 season, he’s scored 6 goals in 17 matches, putting him at number 47 in the league for goals scored.

Alongside his goal-scoring skills, Awoniyi has also contributed with 3 assists so far this season, placing him at number 428 in the Premier League for this statistic.

He’s created a total of 3 chances. Defensively, Awoniyi has proven himself to be quite solid. He’s won 45 aerial duels and completed 68 tackles, plus he’s made 5 blocks. Taking all these statistics into account, after match day 28, Awoniyi ranks at number 231 in the Premier League.

4. Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Serie A)

Samuel Chukwueze, playing for AC Milan in Serie A has shown steady performance in the 2023/2024 season. He’s managed to score one goal in 17 matches, with that lone goal coming during an away game.

On average, he scores 0.14 goals per 90 minutes of play. Besides, he’s contributed to a total of two goals, including assists, this season.

When it comes to shooting, Chukwueze has taken a total of 10 shots, with half of them hitting the target, giving him a shooting accuracy of 50.00%.

He tends to take 1.46 shots per 90 minutes on the field. In terms of passing, Chukwueze averages around 33.51 passes per game with an 82.53% completion rate. He also provides 0.73 key passes per game, which helps create scoring opportunities for his team.

5. Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, La Liga)

Sadiq Umar, currently playing for Real Sociedad in La Liga has been fantastic in the 2023/2024 season. In the La Liga matches, he’s scored three goals out of 25 games, with one goal at home and two away.

He scores a goal every 90 minutes, with a total of four goals and assists combined per season. And, his involvement in goals is around 0.34 per 90 minutes.

In terms of expected goals (xG), Umar Sadiq’s performance stands out, with his non-penalty xG per 90 minutes at 0.33, putting him in the top 88 percentile among La Liga players.

His shooting accuracy is around 37.04%, and he scores a goal approximately every nine shots, taking about 2.31 shots per 90 minutes on the field.

Regarding assists, Sadiq Umar has provided one assist in the same number of matches played. His passing game is notable, with an average of approximately 14.99 passes per game and a pass completion rate of 72.00%.

Also, he creates scoring chances with around 0.86 key passes per game, contributing to his expected assists (xA) output of 0.11 per 90 minutes, placing him above 41% of players in La Liga in this aspect.

6. Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga)

Victor Boniface is one of Nigeria’s top soccer talents in Europe. In the 2023/2024 Bundesliga season, Boniface has netted 10 goals in 16 matches.

With 8 of his goals came from home games, while he managed to find the back of the net twice during away matches. Analyzing his performance, Boniface maintains a consistent goal-scoring rate, averaging 0.7 goals per 90 minutes.

Also, he’s been instrumental in creating opportunities for his teammates, assisting in 7 goals throughout the season. Boniface’s proficiency extends to penalty kicks, having taken 6 so far in his career, all of which he converted successfully, showing a flawless penalty conversion rate of 100%.

7. Alex Iwobi (Fulham, Premier League)

So far, he’s netted 5 goals in 23 Premier League matches, with 3 goals at home and 2 away, averaging 0.28 goals per 90 minutes. His total goal involvement, including assists, is at 6, equating to 0.33 per 90 minutes.

Iwobi’s non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per 90 minutes place him in the top 85th percentile among Premier League players.

When it comes to shooting, Iwobi has taken 31 shots, with 16 on target, boasting a shooting accuracy of 51.61%. He finds the net approximately every 6.20 shots and averages 1.72 shots per 90 minutes.

In passing and chance creation, Iwobi has provided 1 assist and boasts 2.10 key passes per game, with an expected assists (xA) output of 0.18 per 90 minutes, positioning him above 64% of Premier League players.

Also, Iwobi has executed 51 dribbles with a success rate of 52.94%. Defensively, he’s been involved in 24 goals conceded, with 6 clean sheets to his credit. His defensive contributions include 19 tackles and 14 interceptions.

8. Moses Simon (Nantes, Ligue 1)

Moses Simon has recorded 3 goals in 22 matches this season. His scoring record includes 1 goal at home and 2 away, scoring 0.15 goals per 90 minutes, and boasts a total of 8 goal involvements (goals + assists) this season, with an involvement rate of 0.4 per 90 minutes.

He ranks in the top 72 % of Ligue 1 players in terms of non-penalty expected goals (npxG) output. However, Simon has taken 27 shots, with 13 on target and 14 off target, resulting in a 48.15% accuracy rate.

He scores a goal for every 9 shots attempted and takes 1.36 shots per 90 minutes. His passing game is strong, with 5 assists and an expected assist rate of 0.23 per 90 minutes.

Simon completes approximately 76.12% of his passes and delivers 1.51 key passes per game. Dribbling-wise, Simon is in there with 82 dribbles attempted and a success rate of 54.88%. He has also been solid, with 5 clean sheets and involvement in tackles, interceptions, and ground duels.

9. Akor Adams (Montpellier, Ligue 1)

When it comes to goal-scoring efficiency, Adams maintains a steady pace, averaging 0.35 goals per 90 minutes with 7 goals scored In 25 matches.

His involvement in goals, including assists is at 0.35 per 90 minutes as well. His impressive Non-Penalty Expected Goals (xG) per 90 minutes, at 0.47, places him in the top 97 players in Ligue 1.

Adams isn’t shy in front of goal, taking a total of 48 shots this season, with 31 on target, delivering 64.58% shot accuracy.

His ability to find the target is obvious in his conversion rate of 14.58%. Although Adams hasn’t registered any assists this season, his passing and chance-creation metrics are significant.

With 15 key passes and 10 successful dribbles, he’s been a creative force in the midfield spite committing 29 fouls, he’s received only 2 yellow cards.

Adams has also defensively contributed to his team’s efforts with 10 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 86 ground duels won out of 209.

10. Gift Orban (Gent, Belgian First Division A)

Gift Orban’s performance in the Pro League has been quite impressive, scoring three goals in 17 matches In the 2023/2024 Pro League.

Out of these, two goals were netted during home games, while one was recorded in an away match. However, Orban hasn’t recorded any so far this season.

His focus seems to be more on goal-scoring rather than setting up his teammates. Orban has also done well defensively as seen some action, with 10 goals conceded in the matches he’s played, averaging around 1.08 goals conceded per 90 minutes. However, he’s managed to secure three clean sheets.

Ken Anucha

Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.