Africa Cup of Nations Afcon 2023 match between Nigeria and Equitorial Guinea at Stade D Ebimpe on January 14, 2024 in Abidjan, Cote d Ivore. Photo by IMAGO
Two Nigerian footballers are among the top 50 most fouled players in Europe’s major leagues this season, Soccernet.ng reports.
Despite Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Boniface being Nigeria’s most valuable attacking talents, none of them feature on this list.
Instead, that distinction belongs to Getafe’s Christantus Uche and Augsburg’s Frank Onyeka, according to a report by Eurofootball Rumours.
Uche has been a revelation for Getafe in La Liga this season and is Nigeria’s most fouled player in Europe’s top leagues.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who joined Getafe from Ceuta for just €500,000 last year, has drawn 49 fouls in 24 league appearances.
While he has been on the receiving end of rough challenges, Uche has not been entirely innocent himself, committing several fouls and picking up five yellow cards.
However, his impact in attack has been undeniable, netting three goals, including the opener in Getafe’s recent 2-1 victory over Girona.
Uche ranks 12th overall on the list, just outside the top 10, where Roma’s Paulo Dybala and Torino’s Samuele Ricci occupy higher spots.
Frank Onyeka, currently on loan at Augsburg from Brentford, is the second most fouled Nigerian in Europe, having suffered 43 fouls. This places Onyeka joint-26th overall, alongside Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Hellas Verona’s Tomás Suslov.
The 26-year-old midfielder has been a key figure for Augsburg in the Bundesliga, making 19 appearances (18 starts) and clocking 1,604 minutes so far this season.
Several other players of Nigerian descent feature in the top 50.
Manchester United’s Danish-Nigerian full-back Patrick Dorgu is the highest-ranked, sitting joint-3rd with 55 fouls suffered — level with Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and Bologna’s Dan Ndoye.
Germany and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, who has Nigerian heritage, ranks 39th with 40 fouls suffered — alongside Franco-Nigerian winger Michael Olise, also of Bayern Munich.
At the very top of the list, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães leads the way as the most fouled player in Europe’s top five leagues, having drawn 82 fouls. Roma’s Manu Koné follows in second place with 58 fouls suffered.
While Osimhen, Lookman, and Boniface may dominate headlines for their goal-scoring exploits, it’s Uche and Onyeka who are feeling the brunt of Europe’s toughest defenders this season.
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