Nigeria's footballing story has seen many achieve remarkable feats. Here, we have compiled a ranking of the top 10 Nigerian footballers based on total titles and accolades, accumulated at both club and international levels.
For this list of the most decorated Nigerian footballers, we are focusing solely on senior-level achievements and leaving out youth competitions, including the Olympics and age-restricted tournaments.
In descending order, here’s a ranking of Nigeria’s most decorated footballers, based on their total number of titles and accolades.
Top 10 most decorated Nigerian footballers
- Sunday Oliseh – 5 honours
- Finidi George – 9 honours
- Ahmed Musa – 12 honours
- Obafemi Martins – 12 honours
- John Mikel Obi – 12 honours
- Mercy Akide-Udoh – 13 honours
- Perpetua Nkwocha – 14 honours
- Daniel Amokachi – 15 honours
- Nwankwo Kanu – 18 honours
- Asisat Oshoala – 34 honours
10. Sunday Oliseh
A midfield general and former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh enjoyed a stellar career, the highlight of which came with Borussia Dortmund, where he won the German Bundesliga in the 2001/02 season.
At international level, Oliseh was a key figure in Nigeria’s 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph.
Trophies:
- German Bundesliga (1)
- Eredivisie (1)
- Dutch Cup (x2)
- Africa Cup of Nations (1)
9. Finidi George
A flying winger known for his pinpoint crosses, Finidi George found his greatest club success at Ajax. His exploits in Amsterdam make him a shoo-in in any discussion of the top 10 Nigerian footballers.
Trophies:
- Eredivisie (x3)
- Dutch Super Cup (x2)
- UEFA Champions League (1)
- UEFA Super Cup (1)
- Intercontinental Cup (1)
- Africa Cup of Nations (1)
6. Ahmed Musa
Nigeria’s World Cup hero, Ahmed Musa, has had a club career has seen him lift, among others, three Russian Premier League titles with CSKA Moscow.
Trophies:
- Russian Premier League (x3)
- Russian Cup (1)
- Russian Super Cup (x2)
- Saudi Pro League (1)
- Saudi Super Cup (1)
- Africa Cup of Nations (1)
- WAFU Nations Cup: (1)
Individual Accolades:
- Nigeria Premier League Top Scorer (1)
- Russian Cup Top Scorer (1)
6. John Mikel Obi
A midfield maestro, John Mikel Obi enjoyed an illustrious career at Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and the 2012 UEFA Champions League.
He was also instrumental in the 2013 AFCON victory and is undeniably one of the top 10 Nigerian footballers.
Trophies:
- Premier League (x2)
- FA Cup (x4)
- League Cup (x2)
- UEFA Champions League (1)
- UEFA Europa League (1)
- Africa Cup of Nations (1)
- FA Community Shield (1)
6. Obafemi Martins
Renowned for his blistering pace, Obafemi Martins found success in three differenct continents over a 20-year career.
Trophies:
- Serie A (1)
- Coppa Italia (x2)
- Supercoppa Italiana (1)
- UEFA Intertoto Cup (1)
- EFL Cup (1)
- Russian Cup (1)
- Russian Super Cup (1)
- MLS Supporters’ Shield (1)
- U.S. Open Cup (1)
- Chinese FA Cup (1)
Individual Accolades:
- Chinese FA Cup Top Scorer (1)
5. Mercy Akide-Udoh
One of Nigeria’s pioneering female footballers, Mercy Akide-Udoh won the African Women’s Championship (AWC) three times (1998, 2000, 2002) and was named the first-ever African Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2001.
Trophies:
- African Women’s Championship (x3)
- Nigeria Women's League Champion (x3)
- Nigeria Women's Challenge Cup Winner (x3)
Individual Accolades:
- African Women’s Footballer of the Year (1)
- Nigeria Women’s League Top Scorer (x3)
4. Perpetua Nkwocha
A dominant force in African women’s football, Perpetua Nkwocha led Nigeria to five African Women’s Championship titles and was named African Women’s Footballer of the Year four times.
Trophies:
- African Women's Championship (WAFCON) Winner (x5)
Individual Accolades:
- WAFCON Golden Boot (x4)
- WAFCON MVP (1)
- African Women's Footballer of the Year (x4)
3. Daniel Amokachi
Nicknamed “The Bull” for his powerful playing style, Daniel Amokachi made his mark in Belgium with Club Brugge, winning two Belgian Pro League titles. Internationally, Amokachi was part of Nigeria’s victorious 1994 AFCON squad.
Trophies:
- Belgian Pro League (x2)
- Belgian Super Cup (x5)
- Belgian Cup (1)
- FA Cup (1)
- FA Charity Shield (1)
- Turkish Cup (1)
- Turkish Super Cup (1)
- Africa Cup of Nations (1)
Individual Accolades:
- Belgian Ebony Shoe (x2)
2. Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu won five league titles, the 1995 UEFA Champions League, and is the only Nigerian to have won the CAF Player of the Year award twice. By any reckoning, he is one of the top 10 Nigerian footballers.
Trophies:
- Eredivisie (x3)
- UEFA Champions League (1)
- UEFA Super Cup (1)
- Intercontinental Cup (1)
- Inter Milan: UEFA Cup (1)
- Premier League (x2)
- FA Cup winner (x2)
- FA Community Shield (1)
- FA Cup (1)
- Nigerian Premier League (1)
Individual Accolades:
- African Footballer of the Year (x2)
- BBC Africa Footballer of the Year (x2)
1. Asisat Oshoala
One of the greatest female footballers to emerge from Africa, Asisat Oshoala has enjoyed a trophy-laden career with Barcelona Femeni, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
On the international stage, she has won three African Women’s Championships and amassed numerous personal accolades, including six African Women’s Footballer of the Year awards.
Trophies:
- Nigerian Women's Football League (1)
- Nigerian Women's Federation Cup (x2)
- English FA Women's Cup (1)
- Chinese Women's Super League (x2)
- Liga Femeni (x5)
- UEFA Women's Champions League (x2)
- Supercopa de España Femenina (x4)
- Copa de la Reina (x3)
- African Women's Championship (x3)
Individual Accolades:
- BBC Women's Footballer of the Year (1)
- African Women's Footballer of the Year (x6)
- African Women's Championship Golden Ball (1)
- African Women's Championship Golden Boot (1)
- Liga Femeni Top scorer (1)
- Chinese Women's Super League Top scorer (1)
