Super Eagles Euro Round-Up: Osimhen and Onuachu Lead Nigerian Charge
Nigerian football stars delivered a series of impressive performances across Europe over the weekend, with Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu stealing the spotlight by scoring vital goals for their Turkish clubs. As the 2025/26 season intensifies, Super Eagles players showcased their skills in various leagues, contributing goals, assists, and solid defensive displays from England to Spain and beyond.
England: Mixed Results for Nigerian Contingent
In the Premier League, Alex Iwobi marked his 315th appearance in a goalless draw between Fulham and Nottingham Forest. The midfielder played the full 90 minutes but could not break the deadlock. Calvin Bassey made his 20th league start with a robust defensive performance, while Samuel Chukwueze came on as a substitute in the 68th minute.
For Nottingham Forest, Ola Aina nearly scored with a powerful strike that hit the crossbar in the 58th minute, and Taiwo Awoniyi almost snatched a late winner after coming off the bench. In the Championship, Frank Onyeka featured in Coventry City's 2–1 defeat to Southampton, ending their six-match winning streak, and Ryan Alebiosu provided his third assist of the season in Blackburn Rovers' 2–1 victory over Millwall.
Spain and Italy: Struggles and Setbacks
In La Liga, Ademola Lookman came on as a substitute for Atlético Madrid but has now gone six matches without a goal or assist. Sadiq Umar played 56 minutes in Valencia's 1–0 loss to Real Oviedo, continuing his struggle for form since joining in January. At Sevilla, Akor Adams featured for 47 minutes in a 5–2 defeat to Barcelona, while Chidera Ejuke came off the bench but has yet to start a league game in 2026.
In Serie A, Maduka Okoye could not keep a clean sheet as Udinese fell 1–0 to Juventus, and Gift Orban played 86 minutes in Hellas Verona's 2–0 loss to Genoa. Rafiu Durosinmi had a dramatic outing, being sent off in the 37th minute for violent conduct, but Pisa still managed a 3–1 win over Cagliari.
Belgium and France: Steady Contributions
Raphael Onyedika made his 34th appearance of the season for Club Brugge, helping them secure a 2–1 away victory over Westerlo. In Ligue 1, Moses Simon fired blank as Paris FC drew 0–0 with Strasbourg, extending his goal drought to over four months.
Turkey: Osimhen and Onuachu Shine Brightly
Victor Osimhen scored in the 66th minute to lead Galatasaray to a 3–0 win over İstanbul Başakşehir, extending their lead at the top of the Süper Lig to seven points. Paul Onuachu struck early in the fifth minute for Trabzonspor, taking his season tally to 21 goals in a narrow home win over Rizespor. Wilfred Ndidi also featured in Beşiktaş's 2–0 away victory over Gençlerbirliği.
Overall, Nigerian players demonstrated their growing influence in European football, with standout performances highlighting their importance to their respective clubs as the season progresses.
