57 articles
Abiodun Obafemi
Abiodun Olugbemiga Obafemi, Nigerian defender born 1973 in Lagos; won 1996 Olympic football gold with Nigeria's Dream Team, playing one match against Brazil; club career in Germany and France; retired 2001.
Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman (Ademola Olajade Alade Aylola Lookman), Nigerian forward born 1997 in Wandsworth; won the 2024 Europa League final for Atalanta with a hat-trick, was 2024 African Footballer of the Year, and joined Atlético de Madrid in 2026.
Ahmed Musa
Ahmed Musa (born 1992) is a Nigerian forward at Kano Pillars, Nigeria's most-capped men's footballer with 111 Super Eagles caps, AFCON 2013 winner, and the first Nigerian to score in two FIFA World Cups.
Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi (born 1996, Lagos) is a Nigerian midfielder for Fulham and the Super Eagles; ex-Arsenal academy and Everton player, 300+ Premier League appearances, 2018 World Cup, nephew of Jay-Jay Okocha.
Bartholomew Ogbeche
Bartholomew Owogbalor Ogbeche, Nigerian striker born 1984 in Ogoja; ex-PSG youngest scorer, 2002 World Cup player, and ISL all-time top scorer with 63 goals for four clubs.
Calvin Bassey
Calvin Bassey (Calvin Chinedu Bassey Ughelumba), Nigerian centre-back born 1999 in Italy; Leicester academy, Rangers, Ajax (€23m record sale), Fulham since 2023; Super Eagles debut 2022.
Celestine Babayaro
Celestine Babayaro (Celestine Boyd Jonto Hycieth Babayaro), Nigerian left-back born 1978 in Kaduna; Anderlecht and Chelsea defender, 1996 Olympic gold medalist, youngest-ever Champions League debutant at 16 years 87 days.
Chibuike Nwaiwu
Chibuike Godfrey Nwaiwu is a Nigerian footballer, born in 2003 in Port Harcourt, who plays as a center-back for Turkish club Trabzonspor and the Nigeria national team.
Christantus Uche
Christantus Ugonna Uche (born 2003, Owerri, Nigeria) is a Nigerian forward-midfielder for Getafe CF; scored on his 2024 La Liga debut at San Mames, loaned to Crystal Palace 2025/26, out all of 2026/27 with a knee injury.
Christian Nwachukwu
Christian Nwachukwu (Christian Chikwado Nwachukwu), Nigerian forward born 2005; played for Botev Plovdiv, Sheffield United, Serik Spor, and Sabah FK, scoring in the 2026/27 Champions League.
Cyriel Dessers
Cyriel Kolawole Dessers, born 1994, is a Belgian-born Nigerian striker who plays for Greek club Panathinaikos and Nigeria, having previously scored 52 goals for Rangers.
Daniel Amokachi
Daniel "The Bull" Amokachi (Daniel Owefin Amokachi), born 1972 in Kaduna, is a Nigerian former centre-forward for Club Brugge, Everton, and Beşiktaş who won the 1994 AFCON, the 1995 FA Cup, and 1996 Olympic gold, scoring in the final.
Ehije Ukaki
Ehije Success Ukaki (born 2004) is a Nigerian right winger who rose at Botev Plovdiv, winning the 2024 Bulgarian Cup, then joined Sheffield United in June 2025 under Chris Wilder's data-driven recruitment, later loaned to Atromitos and back to Botev Plovdiv.
Emmanuel Amunike
Emmanuel Amunike (Amuneke), Nigerian left winger born 1970 in Eze Obodo; Zamalek, Sporting CP and Barcelona player; 1994 African Footballer of the Year; scored winners in the 1994 AFCON final and 1996 Olympic final; later coached Nigeria U-17 to the 2015 World Cup.
Emmanuel Dennis
Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis, Nigerian forward born 1997 in Abuja; Zorya Luhansk, Club Brugge, Watford (10 Premier League goals 2021-22), Nottingham Forest, loans, now Brøndby; two Champions League goals at Real Madrid, 8 Nigeria caps.
Emmanuel Emenike
Emmanuel Chinenye Emenike, born 1987 in Otuocha, Nigeria, is a retired forward who starred for Spartak Moscow and Fenerbahce, won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, and played at the 2014 World Cup.
Garba Lawal
Garba Lawal, born 1974 in Kaduna, is a retired Nigerian left-sided midfielder who won 1996 Olympic football gold, earned 57 caps and 6 goals for the Super Eagles, played at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and starred for Espérance Tunis and Roda JC.
Henry Onyekuru
Henry Chukwuemeka Onyekuru (born 1997, Onitsha) is a Nigerian left winger, Aspire Academy graduate, 2016-17 Belgian joint top scorer with KAS Eupen, Everton and Monaco player, Süper Lig winner on loan at Galatasaray, later Olympiacos, Adana Demirspor, Al-Fayha, Gençlerbirliği; 15 Nigeria caps, 1 goal.
Isaac Success
Isaac Success (Isaac Success Ajayi), Nigerian forward born 1996 in Benin City; 2013 U-17 World Cup winner, Watford's £12.5m record signing, later Udinese, Málaga, Granada, and Al-Ta'awon; four Nigeria caps.
Jay-Jay Okocha
Jay-Jay Okocha (Augustine Azuka Okocha, born 1973, Enugu), Nigerian attacking midfielder at Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, PSG, and Bolton; 1996 Olympic gold, three World Cups, back-to-back BBC African Footballer of the Year 2003-2004.
Joe Aribo
Joe Aribo (Joseph Oluwaseyi Temitope Ayodele-Aribo), Nigerian midfielder born 1996 in London; ex-Staines Town, Charlton, Rangers (149 apps, 26 goals, 2022 Europa League final scorer), Southampton, and Leicester City loanee.
Joseph Dosu
Joseph Dosu (Oladosu-), born 1973 in Abuja, Nigerian goalkeeper; Julius Berger FC and Reggiana; first-choice keeper of Nigeria's 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold-medal Dream Team; career ended by a 1997 car crash.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi Promise Iheanacho, born 1996 in Owerri, is a Nigerian forward from the 2013 U-17 World Cup who played for Manchester City, Leicester City, Sevilla, Middlesbrough, and Celtic, with nearly 60 Nigeria caps.
Leon Balogun
Leon Balogun, German-Nigerian centre-back (born 1988), not the US striker Folarin Balogun; played for Mainz, Brighton, two Rangers spells (2021 title, 2022 Scottish Cup, Europa League final), QPR, Aris Limassol; 36 Nigeria caps, 2018 World Cup.
Mikel John Obi
Mikel John Obi (John Michael Nchekwube Obinna), Nigerian defensive midfielder born 1987; 372 Chelsea games, 2012 Champions League winner, 2013 AFCON winner; 2006 transfer saga from Lyn Oslo contested by Manchester United; retired 2022.
Mobi Oparaku
Mobi Oparaku (Mobi Patrick Oparaku), born 1976 in Owerri, Nigeria, is a former right-back who won men's football gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, played at the 1998 World Cup, and won the 1993 U-17 World Cup.
Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu (Nwankwo Christian Nwosu Kanu, born 1976, Owerri), Nigerian striker; 1996 Olympic gold captain, 1995 Champions League with Ajax, two Premier League titles with Arsenal, 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth; founded Kanu Heart Foundation in 2000 after heart surgery.
Obafemi Martins
Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins (born 1984, Lagos) is a Nigerian former forward who starred for Inter Milan, Newcastle, Levante, and Seattle Sounders, scored 18 goals in 38 Nigeria caps, and retired in 2020.
Odion Ighalo
Odion Jude Ighalo (born 1989) is a Nigerian striker, 2019 AFCON top scorer with 5 goals, ex-Watford, Changchun Yatai, Shanghai Shenhua, Manchester United loanee, Al Hilal, and Al-Wehda forward.
Ola Aina
Ola Aina (Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina), Nigerian right-back born 1996, ex-Chelsea and Torino, Nottingham Forest No. 34 since 2023 and AFCON 2023 team-of-the-tournament finalist with Nigeria.