- Nigeria is one of the several African countries known for producing world-class football players
- The country has produced some very exceptional players at every position
- And we have seen these players shine even on the international stag
Nigeria has turned out outstanding attacking players with an insatiable need to score goals, the Super eagles are surely super.
Throughout the game’s history, some legendary Nigerian players, such as Jay Jay Okocha, have wowed fans worldwide with their prowess on the field and ability to find the back of the nett.
A significant number of players from the nation have competed for the national team in important international competitions and contributed significantly to the team’s goal tally during those competitions.
We have compiled a list of the top 10 leading goal scorers for the Nigerian national football team,
10. Victor Osimhen-15 goals
Victor Osimhen. Photo: Vanguard News
At this time, Victor Osimhen is considered one of the most talented attackers to come out of Nigeria. He currently plays in the Italian Serie A for Napoli and has a market value of €65,000,000.
After just 22 games for the national team, he already has 15 goals. Out of 15 goals, ten have been scored in AFCON Qualifiers, and only four have been scored in World Cup Qualifiers.
9. Samson Siasia-16 goals
Samson Siasia retired from playing for Nigeria professionally.
He played for the international team, made 51 appearances for the national team, and scored 16 goals overall.
In 1994, he led Nigeria to victory at the African Cup of Nations tournament and also led Nantes to victory in the French Ligue 1 championship. Additionally, the forwards scored once during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
8. Ahmed Musa – 16 goals
The staggering number of 107 games Ahmed Musa has participated in for the Nigerian national team sets a new record. During that period and scored 16 goals for the team.
He currently leads the Super Eagles as their skipper. The winger is now signed with Karagümrük of Turkey.
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, when his team was defeated by Argentina 2-3, he scored twice.
7 Odion Ighalo- 16 goals
One of Nigeria’s most well-known football players, Odion Ighalo, plays soccer. After making his debut with Manchester United in 2020, he was immediately hailed as a local and national hero.
The Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is the team for which the 33-year-old now plays. The forward has played for the Super Eagles 37 times and has scored 16 goals for the team. He has also participated in AFCON as well as FIFA World Cup.
6. Sunday Oyarekhua – 17 goals
Sunday, Oyarekhua scored 17 goals for the Nigerian national team. He only played in 28 games but still managed to score 17 goals.
The forward, who was also a police officer when he wasn’t playing football, was a member of the Super Eagles team that competed in the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations.
5. Obafemi Martins – 18 goals
Obafemi Martins. Photo: Goal.com
After moving from Inter Milan to Newcastle in 2006, Obafemi Martins, who was already known as one of his generation’s most graceful footballers, gained many fans.
In 2021, when he was 37 years old, the man ended his career as a professional. As a national team member, he played 48 times and was responsible for 18 goals scored.
The 2006 World Cup Qualifications saw a total of 12 matches, during which he scored ten goals .
4. Ikechukwu Uche – 19 goals
Ikechukwu Uche scored 19 goals while playing for the Nigerian national team and appeared in 46 matches for the team overall. In Spain, he was a player for a number of different teams, including Villarreal and Malaga.
3. Yakubu Aiyegbeni – 21 goals
During his time in England, Yakubu Aiyegbeni was known as a highly well-liked character. Middlesbrough and Everton are among the clubs he played for during his career.
The striker was phenomenal when playing for the Nigerian national team, where he made 57 appearances and scored 21 goals.
2. Segun Odegbami – 23 goals
In the annals of the Nigerian national football team, Segun Odegbami is the second-highest goal scorer
He scored 23 goals in 46 matches, which exceeds an average of 0.50 goals per game. He came out of retirement in 1984 to play for Shooting Stars, which was based in Nigeria.
1. Rashidi Yekini – 37 goals
Yekini top Nigerian National team top scorer. Photo: Goal.com
Rashidi Yekini scored more goals for the Nigerian national football team than any other player in the team’s history.
Between the years 1984 and 1998, the striker was a member of the national team. One of his significant career high points was being a part of Nigeria’s success in winning the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.
In 1993, CAF named him the African Footballer of the Year, and at the 1994 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), he scored the most goals with five.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login