Nwankwo Kanu, Obafemi Martins And Nigeria’s Most Successful Players In UEFA Competitions

The UEFA Champions League resumes this midweek with a few Nigerian stars rearing to show the world the stuff they are made of.

Soccernet Nigeria takes you down memory lane at the exploits of great country men who have done the country proud in Europe in years gone by.

Most appearances by a Nigerian player in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)

60: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Arsenal)
59: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea)
36: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Wolfsburg, Rubin)
35: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, AC Milan, Dynamo Kyiv)
29: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moskva, Leicester)
28: Efe Ambrose (Celtic)
26: Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk)
26: Atanda Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kyiv)
25: Chidi Odiah (Sheriff, CSKA Moskva)
21: Céléstine Babayaro (Anderlecht, Chelsea)
21: Viktor Ikpeba (Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)

Top-scoring Nigerians in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)

10: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Wolfsburg, Rubin)
7: Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk)
7: Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moskva, Fenerbahçe, Olympiacos)
7: Viktor Ikpeba (Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)
7: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa)
6: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moskva, Leicester)
5: Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos)
5: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Arsenal)
4: Emmanuel Bonaventure (Club Brugge)
4: Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Beer-Sheva)
4: Michael Obiku (Feyenoord, Anorthosis Famagusta)

Most appearances by a Nigerian player in UEFA club competition*

81: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Internazionale Milano, Arsenal, Portsmouth)
78: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, AC Milan, Dynamo Kyiv, Bursaspor, HJK Helsinki, RoPS Rovaniemi)
70: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea, Trabzonspor)
63: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Newcastle, Wolfsburg, Rubin, Levante)
53: Céléstine Babayaro (Anderlecht, Chelsea, Newcastle United)
52: Jay-Jay Okocha (Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers)
51: Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United)
51: Atanda Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kyiv, Metalist Kharkiv)
50: Finidi George (Ajax, Real Betis, Ipswich Town, RCD Mallorca)
50: Vincent Enyeama (Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, LOSC)

Top-scoring Nigerians in UEFA club competition*

23: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Newcastle United, Wolfsburg, Rubin, Levante)
15: Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United)
15: Viktor Ikpeba (RFC Liège, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)
13: Jay-Jay Okocha (Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers)
13: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa, Middlesbrough, Everton)
12: Michael Obiku (Anorthosis Famagusta, Feyenoord, APOEL)
11: Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge, Kardemir Karabükspor)
10: Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar, Kayserispor)
10: Benedict Akwuegbu (Grazer AK)
10: Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos)
10: Kehinde Fatai (Astra, Sparta Praha, Dinamo Minsk, Ufa)
10: Paul Onuachu (Midtjylland, Genk)

First Nigerian player to play in a major UEFA club competition final

Stephen Keshi (Sampdoria 2-0 Anderlecht, 1990 European Cup Winners’ Cup)

First Nigerians to win a European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League final

Finidi George & Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax 1-0 AC Milan, 1995)

Last Nigerian to win a European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League final

John Obi Mikel (Bayern München 1-1 Chelsea, aet, Chelsea win 4-3 on pens, 2012)

Nigerians who have won a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final

Taribo West (Lazio 0-3 Internazionale Milano, 1998)
Chidi Odiah (Sporting CP 1-3 CSKA Moskva, 2005)

*UEFA club competitions = European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup, European/South American Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup

 

Culled from UEFA.com