Every Nigerian player’s dream is to play professional football in Europe to earn a call up to the senior national team, the Super Eagles and also make for himself money in foreign currencies.
Over the years, countless numbers of Nigerian players have found their ways into European clubs. While many have been lucky to have achieved some forms of success on and off the pitch, some others are struggling to make the grade in their respective clubs.
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Trust Sports, takes a cursory look at the performances of Super Eagles players in their various clubs following the completion of most of the top European leagues in the 2019/20 football season.
ENGLAND
In the English Premier League, sadly no Super Eagles player won the league as none of them is playing for the champions, Liverpool.
However, Leicester City’s duo of Kelechi Ihenacho and Wilfred Ndidi narrowly lost the Champions League slot to Ighalo’s United on the last day of action to pick up a Europa League ticket.
Iheanacho as a forward had a decent season where he scored 5 goals in 20 appearances for the Foxes while Ndidi managed two goals in 32 games as Leicester finished 5th on the table.
Although he failed to win a Champions League ticket, Ndidi finished the 2019-20 English Premier League season as the joint top tackler alongside Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Alex Iwobi who plies his trade with Everton had a less satisfactory season. His club ended the season in 11th position and won’t be playing European football next season. The youngster played 25 times but scored just one goal, all season.
Watford striker, Isaac Success will not forget the just concluded season in a hurry. His season was plagued with injuries as he only played 5 times in all competition as a substitute without a goal. He played for only 65 minutes all season. If he remains in the club, he will be playing in the Championship following his club’s relegation from the Premier League.
Leon Balogun before his move to Rangers donned the colours of Brighton and Hove Albion who ended the league on 16th position. He failed to play a single minute for the club this past season and was loaned out to Championship side, Wigan Athletic. Balogun has since joined Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish League.
Versatile Super Eagles and West Brom player, Semi Ajayi was named Championship Player of the Month for April and won the club’s Player and Goal of the Season awards. He played 47 games across all competitions for the side, scoring five goals to ensure the Baggies’ return to the English top-flight.
Another worthy of mention is the Ex-Super Eagles frontman, Odion Ighalo, though on loan helped Manchester United qualify for the Champions League. He played 11 times in the league without a single goal but scored five times in Cup competitions.
SPAIN
In Spain, the story is no different with no Nigerian player winning the La Liga as Real Madrid emerged champions.
Oghenekaro Etebo who is on loan at Getafe from Stoke City will have a season to forget as he played just 8 times scoring a goal. He will not be playing in Europe as the Madrid based club ended the season on 8th position.
The Super Eagles poster boy, Samuel Chukwueze will have another chance to showcase his talent to the world when Villarreal kick starts their Europa League campaign next season.
Chukwueze ended the league with the Yellow Submarines with 20 appearances scoring 3 goals and creating 2 assists in the process.
Defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Kenneth Omeruo were unable to help their club, Leganes remain in top-flight football.
Awaziem played 21 times but didn’t score or assist a goal. He, however, finished the season with 10 yellow cards just as his defence partner, Omeruo played 22 times with only one goal to show for that.
Omeruo won a Man of the Match when he played against Real Sociedad which was the game he scored his only league goal.
Granada midfielder, Ramon Azeez played a minimal role as his team will be playing playoffs to qualify for Europa League.
Azeez played 14 times, scoring 2 goals in the process to secure a 7th place finish for Granada.
Meanwhile, former Eaglets captain Kelechi Nwakali is a happy man after helping his LaLiga 2 club Huesca gain promotion to the LaLiga. Although he was delayed by visa hitches, Nwakali made five appearances with a goal in the Secunda.
GERMANY
The Bundesliga just like the Premier League and La Liga ended without a Nigerian player winning the league as Bayern Munich emerged champions.
Union Berlin forward, Anthony Ujah was responsible for 3 goals out of 41 scored by his team. He also assisted in 2 other goals in 14 appearances for the club.
Mainz 05 striker, Taiwo Awoniyi played 12 times for his club to remain in top-flight football, scoring just a goal.
However, Jamilu Collins suffered Bundesliga relegation with FC Paderborn following a 1-0 loss away at Ujah’s Union Berlin. Collins played the whole 90 minutes of the game but could not stop Paderborn’s 20th league defeat of the season.
ITALY
Again, no Super Eagles player plying his trade in this league won the Scudetto as none played for Juventus.
Former Chelsea defender, Ola Aina played 34 times in all competitions for Torino. He played 29 times in the league without a goal to his name. He won’t be playing European football as his side secured a 16th place finish on the Serie A table.
Inter Milan’s Victor Moses, though retired from international football, played 11 league games for the Nerazzurri from the midfield without scoring a goal. He equally didn’t score a goal in the cup competitions. However, he will be playing in the Champions League following Inter’s 2nd place finish.
Udinese defender, William Troost Ekong played a major role as his side secured a 16th place finish, appearing 28 times but with no goal to his name as well.
The biggest achiever in Italy is no doubt out of favour Super Eagles striker, Simy Nwankwo who shot his team Crotone back to the Serie A. He scored a whopping 20 goals to end the season as the Highest Goal Scorer.
FRANCE
Yet again, no Super Eagles player earned a winners medal in Ligue 1 as PSG does not have a Nigerian player in their squad.
Victor Osimhen who has become Africa’s most sought after striker was fans’ favourite in Lille where he scored 13 times and four assists in 27 league appearances. The club finished 6th on the Ligue 1 table.
The former Golden Eaglets striker scored 2 goals in 5 Champions League games as well as 3 other goals in French Cup competitions.
Bordeaux striker, Samuel Kalu was key to his side 12th place finish with a goal in 20 league appearances while Nantes’ Moses Simon scored 5 goals in 26 games as his side ended the Ligue 1 season 13th on the table.
Therefore, based on their performances, only Ighalo who is a former international will feature in the Champions League unless Victor Moses’ loan deal at Inter Milan is extended or he is recalled by Chelsea.
In the same vein, only three Super Eagles players, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Chukwueze are presently confirmed for appearances in Europe’s second-tier club competition, Europa League.
From the foregoing, it is evident that the present Super Eagles players have failed to match the performances of their predecessors like Emmanuel Amunike, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro, Kanu Nwankwo, Finid George, Victor Ikpeba and a host of others who had won titles in the major European Leagues.
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