Who Is Nigeria’s Best Soccer Player of the Decade?

2020 marks the end of what many soccer fans would call the golden age of Nigerian football. Austin Okocha, KanuNwankwo, Daniel Amokachi, Finidi George, and Taribo West were some of the players that highlighted this golden generation while excelling their talents. As such, the legacy of that decade will be long remembered in club careers and national team moments.

While the 2010s led to the emergence of a new football era, the likes of Obafemi Martins, Mikel Obi, and OsazeOdemwingie were already established before the beginning of the decade. However, other players emerged as the decade wore on, leaving indelible marks on the game. We’ve deiced to close the decade with a shortlist of a few best players in different positions on the field over the last decade.

Among these players we can find those who made the secade for the ones who bet on soccer online at one point or the other, we’ve selected them based on impact on their clubs and national teams, titles won and consistency.

Goalkeeper- Vincent Enyeama

Considered as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Africa, Enyeama is undoubtedly the Nigerian goalkeeper of the decade. Enyeamastarted the decade with a league win while with the Israeli side, Hapoel Tel Aviv, before moving to Lille.

After moving to France, Vincent didn’t have a great start, but he soon sprung back to the first-choice goalkeeper after moving back to Israel on load during the 2012/2013 season. The following season, he recorded 11 straight clean sheets for his League 11 games, almost breaking the league record.

Right Back – Efe Ambrose

For the better part of the decade, Ambrose has been the most consistent player in Nigerian football. While he also played the central defender position, he was the ultimate Super Eagles right-back for several years. The defender moved to Scotland in 2012, winning five league titles consecutively.

While playing for Celtic, he took four consecutive league titles, playing over 20 games in every season. The defender was also key to the Super Eagles win of their only trophy of the decade, playing six out of their seven AFCON 2013 games.

Defensive Midfield – Wilfred Ndidi

Since moving to Leicester in January last year, Wilfred Ndidi has increased his strength significantly to become one of the best Premier League midfielders. While with the foxes, Ndidi had an impressive consistency, and he improved significantly to become a world-class Nigerian Player. Ndidi has also been a reliable player for the Super Eagles during the last three years, with the 2019 AFCON under his belt.

Best Overall – John Mikel Obi

While playing at the highest level in European Soccer, Mikel Obi is arguably the most consistent Nigerian player of the decade. Mikel had won every trophy in his club career, succeeding effortlessly at Chelsea in a time when Nigerian football wasn’t enough for the international audience. Even better, Obi played an important role in helping the Blues win the FA Cup, Europa League, Premier League and Champions League.