Nigeria Top 20 Euro stars (2)
Osaze celebrates his treble for West Brom
Nigeria Top 20 Euro stars (1)
Final part of an MTNFootball.com special review of the
performances of Nigerian stars in Europe this past season.
10. Michael
Eneramo (Sivasspor/Turkey)
Out-of-favour Eagles striker was the toast of his modest Turkish team Sivasspor as he netted 14 goals this season - 11 in the regular season and three in playoffs for Europa League qualification. He is now being linked with a move to top Turkish club Trabzonspor as he also hopes to be recalled by the Nigeria Super Eagles.
9.Peter Osaze Odemwingie (West Bromwich Albion/England)
The West Bromwich Albion striker again held his own in the EPL after a superb debut season. This term, he scored 10 goals this season despite his problems with injuries. Last season, he blasted 15 goals in the league for ‘The Baggies’.
8.Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow/Russia)
The bull-like Nigeria striker has made his mark in Russia after a surprise switch from Fenerbahce in Turkey, where he was also a hero for Karabukspor. He was the highest-scoring African in Russia in the just concluded season with 13 goals.
7.Elderson Uwa Echiejile (Sporting Braga/Portugal)
He was unarguably the best Nigeria star in Portugal this season as his club Sporting Braga challenged for the top prize. Apart from doing his defensive work well, the Nigeria international left back scored five goals for his Portuguese team. He helped his team secure a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot by finishing third behind Porto and Benfica.
6.Obinna Obiefule (Mosta FC/Malta)
The big Mosta FC striker was the highest scoring Nigerian in Europe this season with a new goal-scoring record of 34 goals in Malta. He has been the most celebrated player in Malta and has received offers from Germany Denmark and France.
5.Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge/Belgium)
The best foreign player in Belgium was an ever-present player for his clubside Club Brugge. Akpala, who was the hotshot in Belgium three seasons ago, fired 14 goals during the regular season to emerge his team top scorer, before he added four more goals in the playoffs. Akpala also scored four in the UEFA Europa League. He has now been linked with a move away from Club Brugge.
4.Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers/England)
He was the highest scoring Nigeria player in the EPL this past season with 17 goals despite his club Blackburn Rovers crashing out to the English Championship.
But he could well be back playing against top-flight defences in the coming season as he has attracted interest from EPL new comers Reading as well as the ambitious Queens Park Rangers.
3.Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic/England)
He was the surprise package of the season in the exciting EPL as he was much in the thick of the action as Wigan Athletic again stayed put in the top flight for the second straight season. His dazzling runs down the wings and in the middle were too hot for opposing defences to handle. He contributed immensely with his assists and goals for Wigan to crown him one of the finest performers among Nigerians in Europe. He netted seven goals this season. It remains a speculation whether he stays or moves to a bigger team ahead of the new season. He won his first cap for the Eagles in February in Rwanda.
2.John Utaka (Montpellier/France)
The Eagles striker has posted a wonderful campaign in France and fittingly scored the goals that won his Ligue 1 team their first-ever championship on the final day of the season. The former Portsmouth forward was in form of his life and that informed why he was recalled to the Super Eagles for next month’s World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.
1. Mikel Obi (Chelsea/England)
Mikel Obi was without a doubt best Nigeria player in the recently concluded season in Europe having fully asserted himself at Chelsea.
Though he had a torrid time under former boss Andre Villas-Boas, Mikel has since put that behind him as he was an important member of Roberto Di Matteo’s team, who went all the way to win the 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League, overcoming defending champions Barcelona in the semi-final, before they upset Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in Munich in the final.
Mikel may still be searching for his first EPL goal, but his contribution to ‘The Blues’ cannot be swept under the carpet as he was always rated above average in every game and as well did a yeoman’s job in the defensive midfield role he played to thwart opposing attacking move.
He also won his fourth FA Cup trophy playing in the heart of the midfield against Liverpool at the famous Wembley Stadium.
He has attracted interest from teams like Juventus, big-spending Russian club Anzhi Machakala as well as a top German Bundesliga outfit.
Out-of-favour Eagles striker was the toast of his modest Turkish team Sivasspor as he netted 14 goals this season - 11 in the regular season and three in playoffs for Europa League qualification. He is now being linked with a move to top Turkish club Trabzonspor as he also hopes to be recalled by the Nigeria Super Eagles.
9.Peter Osaze Odemwingie (West Bromwich Albion/England)
The West Bromwich Albion striker again held his own in the EPL after a superb debut season. This term, he scored 10 goals this season despite his problems with injuries. Last season, he blasted 15 goals in the league for ‘The Baggies’.
8.Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow/Russia)
The bull-like Nigeria striker has made his mark in Russia after a surprise switch from Fenerbahce in Turkey, where he was also a hero for Karabukspor. He was the highest-scoring African in Russia in the just concluded season with 13 goals.
7.Elderson Uwa Echiejile (Sporting Braga/Portugal)
He was unarguably the best Nigeria star in Portugal this season as his club Sporting Braga challenged for the top prize. Apart from doing his defensive work well, the Nigeria international left back scored five goals for his Portuguese team. He helped his team secure a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot by finishing third behind Porto and Benfica.
6.Obinna Obiefule (Mosta FC/Malta)
The big Mosta FC striker was the highest scoring Nigerian in Europe this season with a new goal-scoring record of 34 goals in Malta. He has been the most celebrated player in Malta and has received offers from Germany Denmark and France.
5.Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge/Belgium)
The best foreign player in Belgium was an ever-present player for his clubside Club Brugge. Akpala, who was the hotshot in Belgium three seasons ago, fired 14 goals during the regular season to emerge his team top scorer, before he added four more goals in the playoffs. Akpala also scored four in the UEFA Europa League. He has now been linked with a move away from Club Brugge.
4.Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Blackburn Rovers/England)
He was the highest scoring Nigeria player in the EPL this past season with 17 goals despite his club Blackburn Rovers crashing out to the English Championship.
But he could well be back playing against top-flight defences in the coming season as he has attracted interest from EPL new comers Reading as well as the ambitious Queens Park Rangers.
3.Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic/England)
He was the surprise package of the season in the exciting EPL as he was much in the thick of the action as Wigan Athletic again stayed put in the top flight for the second straight season. His dazzling runs down the wings and in the middle were too hot for opposing defences to handle. He contributed immensely with his assists and goals for Wigan to crown him one of the finest performers among Nigerians in Europe. He netted seven goals this season. It remains a speculation whether he stays or moves to a bigger team ahead of the new season. He won his first cap for the Eagles in February in Rwanda.
2.John Utaka (Montpellier/France)
The Eagles striker has posted a wonderful campaign in France and fittingly scored the goals that won his Ligue 1 team their first-ever championship on the final day of the season. The former Portsmouth forward was in form of his life and that informed why he was recalled to the Super Eagles for next month’s World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.
1. Mikel Obi (Chelsea/England)
Mikel Obi was without a doubt best Nigeria player in the recently concluded season in Europe having fully asserted himself at Chelsea.
Though he had a torrid time under former boss Andre Villas-Boas, Mikel has since put that behind him as he was an important member of Roberto Di Matteo’s team, who went all the way to win the 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League, overcoming defending champions Barcelona in the semi-final, before they upset Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in Munich in the final.
Mikel may still be searching for his first EPL goal, but his contribution to ‘The Blues’ cannot be swept under the carpet as he was always rated above average in every game and as well did a yeoman’s job in the defensive midfield role he played to thwart opposing attacking move.
He also won his fourth FA Cup trophy playing in the heart of the midfield against Liverpool at the famous Wembley Stadium.
He has attracted interest from teams like Juventus, big-spending Russian club Anzhi Machakala as well as a top German Bundesliga outfit.
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