Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, has named Christian Chukwu as the greatest player to have worn the Super Eagles jersey.

Chukwu, who passed away in April 2025, is best remembered for captaining Nigeria to their first Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1980.

Beyond his playing career, he also contributed to Nigerian football as a coach, working with both the Golden Eaglets and the Super Eagles.

At club level, Chukwu was a pivotal figure in the Rangers side that clinched the African Cup Winners’ Cup, defeating the renowned Cameroonian team Canon Yaoundé in the 1977 final.

When asked to name the greatest player to wear the Super Eagles jersey, Ikpeba said on SuperSport's Monday Night Football, as monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com: "Christian Chukwu. He was the first star to win the Africa Cup of Nations. An iconic player, I saw him play as a young boy. In that era, there were a lot of talents like Muda Lawal."

The former Monaco forward continued: “In my era, you were spoiled with chances: the 1994 team, the team that won the Olympics, and the 2013 Afcon-winning team.

"Recently, players like Lookman and Victor Osimhen. There have been lots of great players who have worn this jersey in the past."

Last week, Premier League giants Liverpool confirmed that Mohamed Salah will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with the club at the end of this season.

Salah, who has netted 255 goals in 435 appearances for the Reds, boasts an impressive trophy cabinet that includes two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup, two League Cups, and an FA Community Shield.

Ikpeba has described the Egyptian forward as the finest African player ever to grace the Premier League.

"Looking at other great Africans who have played in the Premier League, his numbers are astonishing, and I think he should be regarded as one of the best African players to have ever played in the league. 

"I would say he is the best. He decided to stay for another season, which is not bad. Maybe because of family reasons, he signed a new contract. He doesn’t have the legs like he did in his early years at Liverpool.

"Top scorer in the Premier League three times (four). I don’t think any African player has ever done that. Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup winner, and he will be remembered for a very long time. This season he has been terrible; age has caught up with him."

Ikpeba was a member of the Super Eagles side that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994, and went on to secure Olympic gold with the Dream Team two years later.