The most outstanding Super Eagles players in AFCON 2023

The 2023 AFCON tournament ended on 11th Feb 2024. Every Nigerian expected the Super Eagles to snatch the trophy, especially since William Troost-Ekong, the Nigerian captain, scored the final match's first goal. But fate was on Ivory Coast's side, and the Super Eagles emerged the runners-up, which is still applaudable.

Besides him, other players also made crucial contributions to the Super Eagles' success in becoming the runners-up in the 2023 AFCON. Their immense contribution will go over and beyond to be appreciated by ordinary fans and the veterans who partake in the extra thrills of predicting match outcomes on sites like bettors.co.ug.

Here is a list of said footballers who deserve to be recognized for their efforts and accomplishments.

1. William Troost-Ekong

William Troost-Ekong, the Super Eagles captain, currently plays for PAOK, a Super League Greece club, as a center-back. Despite his team losing the AFCON 2023 finals, Troost-Ekong was offered the TotalEnergies Best Player award.

William Troost-Ekong participated in six of the seven Super Eagles' matches in AFCON 2023. He scored four goals, which is a fantastic feat for a defender. Sadly, he picked a hamstring injury and is expected to miss most upcoming tournaments, including 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches set to begin in June 2024.

2. Ademola Lookman

Ademola Lookman is a talented Nigerian footballer who plays for Serie A side Atalanta BC. The club acquired him for a whopping €15 million with a contract expected to last four years. Was he a worthwhile investment? Yes. So far, Ademola has played 56 matches in 2 seasons and scored 23 goals.

Lookman performed exceedingly well in AFCON 2023. He scored both goals that enabled the Super Eagles to beat Cameroon in the quarter-finals. He is also ranked as the 4th Nigerian to ever touch the back of the net thrice in AFCON knockout stage matches.

3. Victor Osimhen

Victor Osimhen is an infamous player both in Africa and the globe at large. Fans love him because he has incredible athleticism, strength, pace, and finishing capabilities. At the moment, he plays for Napoli, a Serie Club. He bagged the 2021/22 Serie A Best Young Player award, which is indeed a noteworthy achievement.  

Osimhen only scored one goal in AFCON 2023. So why has he been featured on this list? Without him, the Super Eagles wouldn't have reached the 2023 semi-finals, which was a record-breaking achievement. Courtesy of Osimhen, the Super Eagles have reached AFCON semi-finals 16 times in 20 appearances.

4. Ola Aina

Ola Aina is both Nigeria’s and Nottingham Forest’s pride and joy. He joined Nottingham in 2023 after leaving Torino. His career as a full-back has been quite successful, and the 27-year-old is currently worth nearly £10 million, according to Salary Sport. He has played for numerous outstanding teams besides Nottingham Forest, including Chelsea and Hull City.

In the 2023 AFCON, Ola Aina played for the Super Eagles and performed exceptionally well. Although he scored no goals, Aina was recognized as the best Nigerian right-back. Surprisingly, despite playing spiritedly, this outstanding footballer had to defend the Super Eagles with an injury in the finals.

Final Thoughts

Billions of people tuned in to AFCON 2023 and were not disappointed. The tournament treated everyone to an incredible show, filled with everything from exceptionally talented footballers like William Troost-Ekong and Victor Osimhen to truly heated moments of highs and lows. Sadly, there were also a few letdowns and dispiriting moments courtesy of players like Frank Onyeka.

All in all, 2023 AFCON was a sensational tournament. Hopefully, the next one will be as good, if not better. Don't miss it!
Ifeanyi Emmanuel