Napoli’s Osimhen, Atalanta’s Lookman, and Cremonese’s Okereke lift Nigeria to Italian Serie A record

The Nigerian attackers were on the goal scorer’s chart for their respective clubs on the opening weekend of the Italian Championship

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and David Okereke have elevated themselves and their beloved nation into the Italian Serie A record books after their goalscoring feats at the weekend.

Ademola Lookman kicked the weekend off in style for Nigeria when he came off the bench to seal a 2-0 win for Atalanta at Sampdoria on his Serie A debut on Saturday.

The former Leicester City loanee had joined Atalanta from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for €15 million earlier in the week.

It did not end there, as David Okereke kept the green-and-white flag flying in Florence as he netted his first top-flight goal for Cremonese in the side’s 3-2 loss away to Fiorentina.

Just like Lookman, Okereke also recently joined the Grey and Reds for a club-record fee from Belgian giants Club Brugge.

And on Monday, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen capped a beautiful opening day round for Nigeria when he grabbed a goal and an assist in Napoli’s exciting 5-2 win at Hellas Verona.

And according to available statistics, players from twenty countries – including the three Nigerians – found the back of the net on matchday one of the 2022-2023 Serie A season.

It is the highest in history, equalling the record set on five different occasions, as per Italian Statistician Guiseppe Pastore.

With three Nigerian stars on the chart, no other country – save Italy with eight players – has more representation than the most populous nation in Africa.

Osimhen, Lookman, and Okereke will look to maintain their scoring form when the league returns for matchday two this weekend.