The 2020/2021 season marked a golden era for Nigerian attackers in Europe, as several forwards lit up their respective leagues with record-breaking performances, Soccernet.ng reports.
Paul Onuachu dominated in Belgium, Simy Nwankwo set a new Nigerian record in Italy, and Kelechi Iheanacho led Leicester City’s charge with his best season yet.
From France to Spain, and across other UEFA-ranked top leagues, Nigerian stars made headlines with goal-scoring feats.
And now, Victor Osimhen has raised the bar even higher, becoming the first Nigerian to win the Golden Boot in two of Europe’s top five leagues.
In this feature, Soccernet.ng takes a look at the highest-scoring Nigerian players in a single season across the top ten European leagues.
Serie A (Italy) & Süper Lig (Turkey) – Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen etched his name in history by scoring 26 goals in the 2022/23 season for Napoli, guiding the club to their first Scudetto in over three decades and becoming the first African to win the Capocannoniere (Serie A top scorer).
Jupiler Pro League (Belgium) – Paul Onuachu
Paul Onuachu’s 2020/21 season with Genk remains one of the best by any Nigerian in Europe. The towering striker scored 33 goals in 38 games, winning the league’s Golden Boot and the Ebony Shoe.
Serie A (Italy) – Simy Nwankwo
Before Osimhen’s rise, Simy made history in Italy by scoring 19 goals for a relegated Crotone side in the 2020/21 season.
His performance made him the highest-scoring Nigerian in a single Serie A campaign at the time, overtaking Obafemi Martins' record.
Get Our Sports News First – Join Soccernet's WhatsApp Channel Now!
Premier League (England) – Yakubu Aiyegbeni
The “Yak” was a reliable finisher in England, scoring 95 Premier League goals across four clubs. His most prolific campaign came in 2011/12, when he netted 17 goals for Blackburn Rovers—a long-standing Nigerian record in the English top flight.
La Liga (Spain) – Christopher Ohen
While Ikechukwu Uche is Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in La Liga (43 goals), Christopher Ohen holds the record for most goals in a single campaign.
He struck 17 times for Compostela during the 1996/97 season—still unmatched by any Nigerian in Spain.
Bundesliga (Germany) – Jonathan Akpoborie
Jonathan Akpoborie had an illustrious Bundesliga career with 60 goals overall. His best single-season haul was 14 goals in 1997/98 for Hansa Rostock, while also hitting double digits in spells with Stuttgart and Wolfsburg.
Ligue 1 (France) – Victor Ikpeba
The “Prince of Monaco” had his standout season in 1997/98, scoring 16 goals in 30 appearances for AS Monaco. Terem Moffi came close in 2020/21 with 14 goals for Lorient, but Ikpeba's record still stands.
Victor Ikpeba (BVB)
Primeira Liga (Portugal) – Richard Owubokiri
Long before Onuachu, Richard Owubokiri set the pace in Portugal. The forward scored 30 goals for Boavista in 1991/92, clinching the Bola de Prata as the league’s top scorer. His 50 goals in 92 games remain legendary at the club.
Eredivisie (Netherlands) – Cyriel Dessers
Cyriel Dessers became joint-top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie in 2019/20, scoring 15 goals for Heracles Almelo. His goal tally remains the highest by a Nigerian in a single Eredivisie season, even ahead of Tijani Babangida’s career total.
Russian Premier League – Ahmed Musa
Now back in the NPFL, Ahmed Musa had his peak years at CSKA Moscow. His best season was 2015/16, when he scored 13 goals in the Russian Premier League. Across his career in Russia, he tallied 61 goals and 33 assists.
Austrian Bundesliga – Olanrewaju Kayode
Currently playing in Turkey, Kayode was once a top scorer in Austria. After scoring 13 goals in 2015/16, he exploded with 17 goals in 2016/17 for Austria Wien, claiming the Golden Boot that season.
Point of correction pls. Chris Ohenhen scored btw 15-17’goals (not sure exactly which of the two) for Compostela in Spain in 1998 I think.