Two Nigerians have been named as best African players in La Liga and Italia leagues due to their soccer wizardly.
Villarreal winger, Samuel Chukwueze is crowned La Liga’s African Player of the Season and Victor Osimhen as the first African player to be crowned Capocannoniere, the top scorer in Serie A, with his club, Napoli.
Chukwueze started the season as a peripheral figure at Villarreal but the arrival of manager, Quique Setien saw a remarkable turnaround in his form.
The Nigeria international ended the season with 13 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.
It was the 24-year-old’s most productive season since his arrival at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
The impressive form has seen Chukwueze linked with a number of clubs in Europe including Real Madrid, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
The pacy winger arrived in Villarreal in 2019. The player initially played for the second team before he was promoted to the senior side.
Similarly, Victor Osimhen, the talented Nigerian striker, has etched his name in the annals of Italian football history.
The last time a player combined both the Scudetto and Capocannoniere titles was in the 2008-09 season, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic achieved the feat with Inter Milan.
Osimhen’s outstanding performance throughout the season has earned him the prestigious Capocannoniere title, leaving his competitors far behind.
With an impressive tally of 25 goals, Osimhen has comfortably secured the top spot, even before the final game of the season. His closest competitor, Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan, could not surpass Osimhen’s goal tally of 25, ensuring the Nigerian striker’s place in history.
Napoli clinched the Scudetto with five rounds to spare, showcasing their exceptional form and consistency throughout the campaign. Osimhen’s contributions have been instrumental in Napoli’s success, and now he can relish the dual glory of being the top scorer and a league champion.
Joining the ranks of football legends, Osimhen becomes the fourth Napoli player in the post-war period to claim the Capocannoniere title. The esteemed trio of Diego Maradona in 1987-88, Edinson Cavani in 2012-13, and Gonzalo Higuain in 2015-16 preceded him.
In addition to this historic achievement, Osimhen has surpassed the long-standing record of George Weah, another African football icon.
Weah’s record of 47 goals in the Italian top flight has been surpassed by Osimhen, cementing his place in the record books by surpassing the milestone of 50 goals. This accomplishment is a testament to Osimhen’s exceptional skills, consistency, and adaptability in Serie A.
While Osimhen’s triumph as the first African Capocannoniere is undoubtedly a groundbreaking moment, it is worth mentioning that Samuel Eto’o came close to claiming the title during the 2010-11 season.
Eto’o’s impressive tally of 21 goals for Inter Milan put him in contention, but he was narrowly beaten by Antonio Di Natale of Udinese, who secured the Capocannoniere title with 28 goals.
Osimhen’s exceptional performances throughout the season have garnered further recognition, as he was named the Serie A Striker of the Year 2022/23. Additionally, his outstanding contributions have secured him a place in the Serie A 2022/23 Team of the Season, cementing his status as one of the league’s top performers.
