Nigeria is among the top sporting countries in Africa. Football is arguably the most loved sport in the country. The love of football has attracted betting companies like Betway online betting Nigeria to take care of the betting needs of the huge numbers of fans. Their national football team is called the Super Eagles.
The country is currently ranked as the third-best footballing nation in Africa. It is blessed with some of the finest talents that have performed on the big platforms across the world. Here, we look at ten of the best Nigerian footballers of all time.
Nwankwo Kanu
Kanu is Nigeria’s most decorated footballer. He was capped 86 times and scored 13 goals for the Super Eagles between 1994- 2010. In his career, he won three Eredivisie titles and the Champions League with Ajax, a Dutch side. He also lifted the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan in the year 1998.
He then moved to England, where he played for Arsenal from 1999. At Arsenal, he won two premier leagues and FA cups. His 15-minute hat-trick against Chelsea to secure a 3-2 win is perhaps his most impressive contribution. His goal-scoring ability would make him a favorite for punters on Betway in the current generation. He also played for West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.
He was named African Footballer of the Year twice and won the Olympic Gold medal with Nigeria in 1996.
Jay Jay Okocha
Okocha’s impressive career was between 1993 and 2006 in which he was capped 75 times and scored 14 goals. He is the most effective African dribbler of all time.
He played in Europe for Frankfurt, Fenerbahce and Paris Saint- Germain. However, it is at Bolton Wanderers that his career peaked. In his first season, he helped his team in the division and, after that, captained them to the League Cup final in 2004. They lost to Middlesbrough.
Among his honors is African Footballer of the Year 2005. In 2004 Pele included him in his top 125 living footballers of all time.
Rashidi Yekini
Yekini played between 1984 and 1998, where he was capped 58 times and managed 37 goals for his national team. He remains an iconic figure in Nigerian football, especially after scoring their first-ever World Cup goal in their 3-0 win over Bulgaria in the 1994 tournament in the USA.
He played his club football in Portugal at Vitoria FC. His fruitful time there saw him named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. He was also the first Nigerian to win the award. He passed on in May 2012.
Uche Okechukwu
Uche played his football from 1990 to 2002. He was capped 46 times for the Super Eagles, and he managed two goals. He took over the captaincy of the national team after Keshi retired. He was also part of the team that won gold in the 1996 Olympics and the African Cup of Nations in 1994.
In his career, he won the Danish League twice. He spent the better part of his career in Turkey with Fenerbahce. While there, he won the Turkish League two times. He was also part of the Fernabahce team that ended Manchester United’s 40-year unbeaten European home record at Old Trafford.
Finidi George
George played his football between 1991 and 2002. He was capped 62 times and scored six goals. He played for Ajax from 1993, helping them win three Eredivisie titles and one Champions League title. He was considered one of the best wingers in the world in 1996 when he moved to Real Betis. His brilliance attracted the attention of Real Madrid, but the move never materialized. He played one season in England with Ipswich Town.
