Nigeria currently boasts some of the most exciting attacking talents in European football, Sportblog247.com reports.

Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen have been headline-makers throughout the 2023-2024 season, prompting the question: Does Nigeria have the best front three in international football?

Victor Boniface: A Breakout Star

Victor Boniface has had a sensational season with Bayer Leverkusen, helping the club secure a historic domestic double by winning the Bundesliga and the German Cup. Boniface’s 14 league goals earned him the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award. Across all competitions, he netted 21 goals and provided 10 assists in 34 games, making his debut season in one of Europe’s top leagues a memorable one. His performances have attracted attention from top clubs like Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Ademola Lookman: History Maker

Ademola Lookman has also had a standout season. He made history by scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final, becoming the first African player to do so, leading Atalanta to their first European trophy. Lookman continued his fine form domestically, contributing to Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Torino. Overall, Lookman has 16 goals and nine assists in 44 games this season, with 10 goals and seven assists in Serie A, helping Atalanta secure a top-four finish.

Victor Osimhen: Nigeria’s Leading Light

Victor Osimhen remains Nigeria’s most celebrated forward. Despite a quieter season compared to his previous campaign, the reigning Africa Footballer of the Year still managed to score 17 goals and provide four assists for Napoli.

Comparing with the Best

Nigeria’s prolific trio—Osimhen, Lookman, and Boniface—have a combined 77 goal involvements (goals + assists) this season. However, to assess Nigeria’s claim to the top, their performance must be compared with other footballing powerhouses.

Brazil: Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and João Pedro combined for 83 goal involvements. Argentina: Lautaro Martinez, Julián Álvarez, and Paulo Dybala achieved 89 goal involvements. France: Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, and Marcus Thuram contributed an impressive 115 goal involvements. Belgium: Loïs Openda, Romelu Lukaku, and Charles De Ketelaere totaled 84 goal involvements. England: Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and Ollie Watkins led with 138 goal involvements. Netherlands: Jeremie Frimpong, Xavi Simons, and Cody Gakpo had 73 goal involvements. Croatia: Andrej Kramaric, Ante Budimir, and Mario Pasalic netted 58 goal involvements. Italy: Gianluca Scamacca, Vincenzo Grifo, and Matteo Politano totaled 68 goal involvements. Portugal: Rafael Leão, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva combined for 77 goal involvements. Spain: Alejandro Grimaldo, Álvaro Morata, and Nico Williams reached 82 goal involvements. USA: Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, and Weston McKennie contributed 51 goal involvements. Germany: Florian Wirtz, Deniz Undav, and Julian Brandt combined for 93 goal involvements. Uruguay: Darwin Núñez, Cristhian Stuani, and Federico Valverde had 59 goal involvements. Norway: Erling Haaland, Alexander Sørloth, and Martin Ødegaard achieved 98 goal involvements. Japan: Ritsu Doan, Takumi Minamino, and Takefusa Kubo combined for 43 goal involvements.

Africa’s Best

Nigeria’s attack also stands out when compared to other African countries:

1. Nigeria – 77 goal involvements
2. Egypt – 72
3. Morocco – 66
4. Senegal – 43
5. Algeria – 40
6. Côte d’Ivoire – 32
7. Cameroon – 30
8. Mali – 25
9. Tunisia – 14
10. Burkina Faso – 9

Global Ranking

1. England – 138 goal involvements
2. France – 115
3. Norway – 98
4. Germany – 93
5. Argentina – 89
6. Brazil – 84
7. Belgium – 84
8. Spain – 82
9. Nigeria – 77
10. Portugal – 77
11. Netherlands – 73
12. Egypt – 72
13. Italy – 68
14. Morocco – 66
15. Uruguay – 59
16. Croatia – 58
17. USA – 51
18. Senegal – 43
19. Japan – 43