Raphael Onyedika: Super Eagles ace nominated for award won by Chelsea’s first Nigerian star

Nigerian midfielder Raphael Onyedika has been recognised for his strong season in Belgium after earning a nomination for the prestigious Ebony Shoe award, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Ebony Shoe is given every year to the best African player, or player of African descent, in the Belgian top flight. It is one of the most respected individual prizes in the league, and over the years, Nigerian players have played a big role in its history.

Onyedika, who represents Club Brugge, is one of five players shortlisted for the 2026 prize, according to Sporza. The Nigeria international was also nominated last year but failed to win it. He is joined by fellow Nigerian-born forward Promise David, who now represents Canada internationally, as well as Zakaria El Ouahdi, Parfait Guiagon and Adem Zorgane.

The Super Eagles midfielder has been a key figure for Brugge this season, making 25 league appearances and showing his usual energy in midfield. He also made his mark in Europe, scoring twice in the UEFA Champions League before his side were knocked out.

David, on the other hand, enjoyed an impressive campaign in front of goal, scoring 15 times in 37 matches across all competitions before an injury cut his season short. Like Onyedika, he also found the net twice in the Champions League.

Both players will hope to follow in the footsteps of Tolu Arokodare, who won the award in 2025 after a brilliant season with Genk.

Nigeria’s proud Ebony Shoe history

Nigerian players have a long and proud connection with the Ebony Shoe, dating back to its early years in the 1990s.

The very first winner was Daniel Amokachi in 1992. The powerful forward, known as ‘The Bull’, won it again in 1994, making him the only Nigerian to claim the prize twice.

He was followed by Victor Ikpeba in 1993 and Godwin Okpara in 1995, during a period when Nigerian players were among the best in Belgium.

One of the most famous winners is Celestine Babayaro, who claimed the award in 1996 while playing for Anderlecht. He later made history by becoming the first Nigerian to play for Chelsea, where he enjoyed a successful career and won major trophies.

After Babayaro’s success, it took many years before another Nigerian lifted the award. That wait ended in 2021 when Paul Onuachu won it after scoring an incredible 33 league goals for Genk.

More recently, Arokodare continued that tradition with his 2025 win.

There have also been near misses. Players like Victor Boniface, Gift Orban and Onyedika himself have all been nominated in recent years, showing how consistent Nigerian talent has been in the league.

Now, Onyedika has another chance to add his name to that list of winners. The 2026 Ebony Shoe ceremony will take place in Brussels in early May, and if he succeeds, he will become the latest Nigerian to shine on one of Belgium’s biggest football stages.