AFCON 2025
The year 2024 without any iota of doubt whatsoever has been a fantastic year for Nigerian players especially those that feature for the men’s senior national team – the Super Eagles.
More than a handful of Super Eagles players had a brilliant individual outing for both club and country as the year draws to a close.
The biggest disappointment for these players would be missing out on winning the country’s fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in February.
Cote D’Ivoire, the host pipped Nigeria to the trophy in a dramatic turn around of fortune for the Elephants..
However, despite the disappointment, Super Eagles players shine for their respective club sides in Europe.
This post takes a look at the top 5 Super Eagles players for 2024.
1. Ademola Lookman
The reigning African Footballer of the Year was unarguably the best Nigerian player and athlete by extension of the year.
The 27-year-old maintained a high level of consistency for his club side, Atalanta as well as the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Lookman became the first player to score a hat trick in the final of the Europa League as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win their first European title.
Lookman juat like Osimhen last year, made it to the Ballon D’or top 30. He was the only African on the list as he finished in 14th place.
The former Leicester City and Fulham forward scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in 45 matches for Atalanta in the 2023/2024 season.
Ademola Lookman currently has 12 goals in 20 matches for La Dea in the ongoing season as Atalanta lead the Serie A table with 40 points.
He was also immense for the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations in January/February as the team finished second behind Cote D’Ivoire.
He scored both goals against Cameroun in the second round and the winner against Angola in the quarter-finals.
Lookman scored 3 goals and provided an assist in his Africa Cup of Nations Championship with the Super Eagles.
Ademola Lookman scored two goals, two erroneously disallowed goals in four matches as the Super Eagles qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
2. Victor Osimhen
The recently-dethroned African Footballer of the Year also had a brilliant 2024. Osimhen was one of most hardworking players at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Although he only scored a goal but was involved in play. He won the penalty against Cote D’Ivoire in the group stage, provided the assist to Lookman against Cameroun, and won the penalty against South Africa in the semi-finals.
Osimhen was involved in a dramatic summer transfer window that saw him eventually move to Galatasaray on loan from Napoli.
The 26-year-old has been pivotal for the club in the domestic league and Europa League as well with 12 goals and 4 assists in 15 matches for the Turkish champions.
Osimhen helped the Super Eagles qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and equaled Segun Odegbami’s tally of 23 goals which placed him joint-second with the legendary winger.
3. Victor Boniface
Boniface ranks as one of the best strikers in Europe in 2024.
The 24-year-old striker helped Bayer Leverkusen win their first-ever Bundesliga title in the Summer.
Bayer Leverkusen finished the season unbeaten as they won the Bundesliga and the DFB -Pokal to wrap a fantastic season under Xabi Alonso.
He scored 20 goals and provided 9 assists in 32 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen.
Boniface currently has 7 goals and an assist in 13 matches in all competitions this season.
The striker also played a role in Super Eagles qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations even though he didn’t register a goal nor assist.
Boniface is yet to score for the Super Eagles but the striker continues to work hard to show his importance to the team.
4. Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi tool on a new role at the Africa Cup of Nations as he played in Jose Poseiro’s two-man midfield as he played alongside Frank Onyeka.
Despite criticisms, Iwobi was one of the best players in the team as he helped in dictating the tempo of matches and recycling possession.
Iwobi’s role in Iwobi was quite different as he played as either an attacking midfielder or as a man forward.
The role has seen him excel under Marco Silva this season with five goals and three assists in 17 matches for Fulham so far this season.
5. Ola Aina and Wilfred Ndidi
Ola Aina is having an amazing year both in the colors of the national team and Nottingham Forest as well.
He was pivotal as a right wing-back in Jose Poseiro’s 3-4-3 system and helped the team reach the final.
Aina is leading the conversation as the best right back in the Premier League at the moment.
The former Chelsea Academy graduate has cemented his place as Nottingham Forest first choice right back/ right wing-back with impressive performances every matchday.
Ola Aina scored his first Premier League of the season in Nottingham Forest win at Brentford last weekend.
On the flipside, Wilfred Ndidi was one of Enzo Maresca’s most important assets as Leicester City won the Championship and made a return to the Premier League.
Ndidi played as one of the advanced midfielders in the Italian manager’s 4-2-3-1 set up which saw him score four goals and provided five assists in 32 matches.
The midfielder has also continued in similar fashion for the Foxes this season although under a different manager.
Ndidi has four assists in 17 Premier League matches so far.
The 28-year-old midfielder missed out of the Nations Cup due to injury but was available and impressive during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Super Williams Troost-Ekong, Raphael Onyedika, Stanley Nwabali among a list of Super Eagles players had a 2024 to remember as well.
Troost-Ekong was named the MVP at the Africa Cup of Nations, Raphael Onyedika won the Belgian League with club Brugge while Stanley Nwabali was amazing for the Super Eagles and Chippa United.
