World’s best youngsters: New Super Eagles lad joins Barcelona and PSG stars

New Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu has been recognised as one of the best young players in world football over the past few months, Afrik-Foot reports.

The ranking comes from the CIES Football Observatory, which tracks player performance across 67 leagues worldwide. Their latest study focuses on under-23 outfield players and uses detailed data to measure performance in key areas such as defending, attacking, passing, and overall impact on matches.

At the very top of the global list is Barcelona teen wonder Lamine Yamal, followed by Kenan Yıldız of Juventus and Warren Zaïre-Emery of Paris Saint-Germain.

Nwaiwu’s inclusion in such company is a pointer to how quickly he has made his mark after only leaving Nigeria a couple of years ago.

Since joining Trabzonspor from Wolfsberger AC during the winter transfer window, the defender has become a key figure in Turkey. Strong in the air and calm on the ball, he has impressed at both ends of the pitch.

One of his standout moments came in April, when he scored a powerful header to secure a 2-1 win over league leaders Galatasaray. That goal helped close the gap at the top of the table and boost Trabzonspor’s chances of ending their title drought.

So far, he has scored three goals and provided one assist in just 12 league appearances. Beyond the numbers, his reading of the game and ability to organise the defence have been widely praised.

His progress has also been recognised internationally. After receiving his first call-up to the Super Eagles, he made his debut in recent friendlies, stepping in confidently and showing he can compete at the highest level. His journey from midfield at Enyimba to central defence in Europe has given Nigeria a versatile and technically sound option at the back.

Other Super Eagles-eligible youngsters on the elite list

Nwaiwu is not alone. Several Nigeria-eligible youngsters also made the CIES Football Observatory rankings after after earning recognition across Europe.

In England, Michael Kayode has been ranked among the top young players in the Premier League. The Brentford defender continues to impress with his athleticism and defensive awareness.

In Italy, Honest Ahanor, who is eligible to represent Nigeria, is also highly rated in Serie A. His performances have caught the attention of Italy and Real Madrid and he remains one to watch for the future.

Scotland has its own rising talent in Jayden Meghoma, currently with Rangers. The young left-back has been among the standout performers in the Scottish Premiership.

Back in Turkey, Göztepe’s energetic midfielder Anthony Dennis also features among the top-ranked youngsters in the league.

Elsewhere across Europe, more Nigerian talents are quietly building strong reputations. David Moses has impressed with Slavia Prague, while Mukhtar Adamu is developing in Norway with Odds BK. In Ukraine, Shola Ogundana continues his progress at Dynamo Kyiv.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has vowed to invite several untested players for Nigeria’s friendlies in the summer and a few of these youngsters could make the squad.