Montpellier and Nigeria striker, Akor Jerome Adams, is making waves in Europe. The 22-year-old has been nominated for the prestigious 2022/23 European Golden Shoe award, an honour given to the top scorer across all top European leagues.
Adams currently sits at the 5th position in the initial list of nominees, but it's important to understand the nuances of the award. While he has scored an impressive 22 goals this season, it's worth noting that 15 of those goals came during his time at Lillestrom in the Norwegian Eliteserien, which has a lower coefficient (1.5) compared to the French Ligue 1 (2).
This means that goals scored in Ligue 1 are considered “worth” more, hence the slight disadvantage for Adams despite his higher total number of goals.
Jerome Adams in good company
Despite this technicality, Jerome Adams' nomination is a significant achievement. He is the first Nigerian player to be nominated for the Golden Shoe since Victor Osimhen in the 2020/21 season.
Jerome Adams finds himself in esteemed company, competing against established stars like Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich), Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan), and Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG) and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassywho boast higher coefficients due to playing in top European leagues.
Adams' journey to this point is impressive. He started his professional career at a young age in Nigeria and then was selected for the Nigeria U20 team that made the second round of the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland before making a move to Norway in 2021.
From Lillestrom to Montpellier with goals
Akor Jerome Adams' prolific goals-coring at Lillestrom caught the eye of Montpellier, who secured his transfer in the summer transfer window. He has seamlessly adapted to French football, continuing his goal-scoring form and establishing himself as a key player for his club.
The 24-year old has scored seven goals in Ligue 1 for Montpellier after 23 matches to showcase his potential as one of the best strikers in France.
While the final winner of the Golden Shoe remains to be seen, Adams' inclusion in the conversation is a testament to his talent and hard work.
He represents the new generation of exciting young Nigerian footballers taking European leagues by storm.
With continued dedication and improvement, there's no doubt that Jerome Akor Adams has the potential to not only secure a top spot in the Golden Shoe race but also become a household name in the world of football.
