Nigerians in Europe: Who Is Leading the Way This Autumn
There is now a new leader of the goal-scoring race in Turkey, and he is Nigerian. Gift Orban scored the tenth goal of the season for Amedspor in the Süper Lig on November 7. Gift Orban scored the goal in the match where his team lost 4-3 against Galatasaray.
Osimhen was missing from that match with a knee problem. Fans who follow these games on their phones, sometimes through apps installed from files like afropari apk, will notice how quickly the picture can change. Here is a look at where Nigeria's main players stand in Europe as the November international break begins.
Orban and Osimhen: A Scoring Race on Hold
Before the weekend, Orban and Osimhen were level on nine league goals each. According to Pulse Nigeria, Orban's 65th-minute header against Galatasaray made it ten. He is on loan at Amedspor this season, and the move has given him regular minutes.
It is not yet clear about Osimhen. The forward recently sustained an injury to the knee and did not play for the team due to that. According to Pulse, Osimhen will miss some games due to the injury and that is why he is not included in the team list for the month of November.
However, prior to sustaining the injury, the forward performed well when it mattered most. Osimhen scored in the 61st minute and was adjudged the man of the match when Galatasaray won 4-2 against Lille in the Champions League on 21 October.
Strong Weeks in European Competitions
October was a good month for Nigerians in UEFA competitions. A Premium Times round-up listed several players on the scoresheet in one round of matches:
- Tolu Arokodare entered the game for Ajax, scored a goal, and assisted another in their 2-0 Conference League win over Atalanta.
- Cyriel Dessers bagged two goals as Panathinaikos thrashed Kairat Almaty 5-1 in the Conference League.
- Ndidi Wilfred scored for Beşiktaş in their 2-2 Europa League tie with Crystal Palace in Istanbul.
- Bamidele Yusuf netted his second goal in the Europa League season as Ferencváros defeated Torreense 4-1.
- Ademola Lookman was introduced during the half time in Atlético Madrid's 1-1 draw at Stuttgart.
That is five different players making an impact in three different competitions in the same week.
The Form Table
Here is a snapshot of selected Nigerian players and their clubs this season, based on the sources above and the Sites NG weekly tracker.
|
Player |
Club |
League |
Recent highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gift Orban |
Amedspor (loan) |
Süper Lig |
10 league goals, top of the scoring chart |
|
Victor Osimhen |
Galatasaray |
Süper Lig |
9 league goals, currently out with a knee problem |
|
Tolu Arokodare |
Ajax (loan) |
Eredivisie |
Goal and assist against Atalanta |
|
Cyriel Dessers |
Panathinaikos |
Greek Super League |
Two goals against Kairat Almaty |
|
Wilfred Ndidi |
Beşiktaş |
Süper Lig |
Europa League goal against Crystal Palace |
|
Ademola Lookman |
Atlético Madrid |
La Liga |
Assist at Stuttgart |
|
Kelechi Iheanacho |
Bursaspor |
Turkish second tier |
17 league goals |
Turkey Becomes a Nigerian Hub
One trend stands out: the number of Nigerian players in Turkey. Orban, Osimhen and Ndidi all play in the Süper Lig. Paul Onuachu and Chibuike Nwaiwu are at Trabzonspor. Kelechi Iheanacho leads the second division with 17 goals for Bursaspor, according to the Peoples Gazette.
This means that there is an abundance of matches played between Nigerian sides compared to others. One match which comes to mind is the clash between Amedspor and Galatasaray which was played on November 7th, where Orban netted past his countryman’s team.
What This Means for the Super Eagles
In all cases, club form will influence decisions to play at international level. Coach Éric Chelle has selected his 24-man squad for AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania. The names of Lookman, Ndidi, Arokodare and Nwaiwu have been picked. Osimhen is not part of this squad due to an injury.
Iheanacho is one of the biggest names to miss out. Seventeen-goal record in the second tier could not help him make the cut. Similarly, Orban who tops Süper Lig has failed to make it to the squad. This indicates that coach is looking beyond just scoring.
The matches come quickly. Nigeria host Tanzania in Uyo on 13 November, then travel to Zanzibar on 17 November. Fans following from abroad often keep track of line-ups and match updates through several apps at once, from official CAF channels to platforms like Afropari.
What to Watch Next
Three narrative arcs will define the coming weeks:
- How long Osimhen will be out, and how Orban can create some distance from the top of the Süper Lig.
- If Arokodare can hold on to his spot at Ajax after impressive performances in Europe.
- How the players selected for the two games for Tanzania will rejoin their clubs after the break.
The Nigerian players now play in more leagues than any time before. With such numbers of them getting game time, the coming weeks will provide Nigeria with many options to choose from.
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