Two players of Nigerian descent, Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala, are making headlines at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by leading the tournament’s top scorers’ chart—surpassing global football icons like Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María, Thomas Müller, and Harry Kane.

Olise, who represents Bayern Munich and is eligible for Nigeria through his father, has climbed to the top of the Golden Boot standings with three goals. His latest strike pushed him ahead of Benfica’s Di María and his Bayern teammate Musiala, who also has three goals but sits second due to fewer minutes played and a slightly lower goal contribution rate.

Musiala—born to a Nigerian father—had earlier announced himself with a dazzling hat-trick in Bayern’s record 10-0 thrashing of Auckland City, placing him firmly among the tournament’s breakout performers.

Other notable names on the scorers’ chart include Bayern’s veteran forward Thomas Müller and Kingsley Coman, Juventus duo Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceição, and Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro—all tied on two goals. Also on two are Atlético Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, Botafogo’s Igor Jesus, and Chelsea’s Pedro Neto.

Further down are world-renowned stars such as Messi, Phil Foden, Nicolás Otamendi, and Harry Kane—each with one goal to their name.

Despite Nigeria’s absence from the Club World Cup, the form of Olise and Musiala offers fans back home reason to celebrate. Both players, who were once eligible to represent the Super Eagles, have become standout performers on the world stage—rekindling dreams of what could have been.

With the tournament still in full swing, the race for the Golden Boot is heating up, and Olise and Musiala remain strong favourites to finish on top.