Super Eagles star Ibrahim Olawoyin has emerged as the most prolific dribbler in the Turkish Super Lig this season, yet he finds himself left out of the Super Eagles squad for the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Rizespor midfielder has completed 46 successful dribbles in 24 league appearances, covering over 2,000 minutes of play, according to statistics from Euro Football Rumours.
This impressive tally puts him level with Besiktas’ Portuguese playmaker Rafa Silva at the top of the league’s dribbling charts.
Despite his flair and technical ability, Olawoyin has also been productive in the final third, contributing three goals and five assists for Rizespor in the Turkish top flight.
The 27-year-old leads a highly competitive list of dribblers in the Super Lig.
Antalyaspor’s Moussa Djenepo is close behind with 45 completed dribbles, followed by Adana Demirspor’s Ali Yavuz Kol (42) and Fenerbahce’s Allan Saint-Maximin (40), both known for their dazzling footwork.
Olawoyin is not the only Nigerian making waves in the dribbling department. His Rizespor teammate, David Akintola, ranks 15th with 34 successful take-ons, while young Goztepe midfielder Anthony Dennis, who was included in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the World Cup qualifiers, sits in 19th place with 30 dribbles.
Trabzonspor veteran Anthony Nwakaeme also makes the top 50 despite an injury-hit season, recording 21 dribbles to secure 46th place.
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Osimhen dominates the goalscoring charts
While Olawoyin has made headlines for his dribbling brilliance, another Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, is dominating in a different department.
The Galatasaray striker currently leads the Super Lig scoring charts with 20 goals in 22 games, adding more solid bricks to his reputation as one of Europe's most lethal forwards.
Osimhen’s fine form carried into international duty as he netted both goals in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday. He is expected to lead the line again when the Super Eagles face Zimbabwe in their next World Cup qualifier.
Olawoyin’s Super Eagles snub
However, Olawoyin’s impressive performances in Turkey were not enough to convince Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to hand him a call-up for this international break.
The former Enugu Rangers star made his Nigeria debut in June last year under former manager Finidi George, featuring in the 2-1 defeat against Benin Republic.
However, Chelle opted for a different midfield combination, selecting Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf, and home-based midfielder Papa Daniel Mustapha for the qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
This decision leaves Olawoyin watching from the sidelines despite being one of the most in-form Nigerian midfielders in Europe.
The Rizespor playmaker will now turn his focus back to club football as he looks to maintain his fine form when Rizespor host Sivasspor in their next Super Lig fixture on Sunday.
