Victor Okoh Boniface, the dynamic Super Eagles striker for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, has secured the prestigious Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award. Boniface, 23, arrived at Die Werkself from Union Saint-Gilloise in August, immediately making waves by claiming the Newcomer of the Month accolade for August through November.

His impact has been pivotal in Leverkusen’s record-breaking 50-game unbeaten streak, amassing an impressive tally of 13 goals and nine assists under the guidance of Xabi Alonso.

Despite facing stiff competition, including Borussia Dortmund’s Ian Maatsen and RB Leipzig’s on-loan Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Xavi Simons, Boniface emerged victorious, as announced by the Bundesliga official website.

However, his meteoric rise was momentarily halted by an adductor injury, sidelining him for three months and causing him to miss the AFCON 2023 tournament with Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Nevertheless, Boniface’s influence remains undeniable, with 20 goals and ten assists in 32 appearances across all competitions.

Now, with the Bundesliga title secured, Boniface sets his sights on further triumphs in the Europa League and DFB-Pokal finals.

Notably, last season’s recipient of the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award, Karim Adeyemi, experienced heartbreak as his Borussia Dortmund narrowly missed out on the league title to Bayern Munich on the final matchday.