Who are the latest football sensations of Nigeria this 2023? Join us on a ride to discover Nigeria’s most promising young football talents to watch out for in this season.
Sensational football discoveries emerge every year. And the following players have not disappointed Nigerian football fans, who are eagerly watching their moves. We sincerely hope they will stand the test of time.
Again, we present to you Nigeria’s most promising young football talents of 2023. They pack a punch!
Victor Eletu
Born in Lagos in April 2005, Victor Eletu was a beneficiary of a scholarship offered by AC Milan Football Academy in 2018. He started out as a trainee from the Prince Kazeem Eletu Academy before winning the scholarship. The defensive midfielder is currently a player and captain of the Italian club, AC Milan U19 team.
Victor is reputed to have sharp dribbling skills and long shots. He is surely one of Nigeria’s most promising football talents too hard to ignore.
Raphael Onyedika
Raphael Onyedika is a skilled midfielder currently playing with Belgian football club Brugge. He was born in April 2001 in Imo state, Nigeria.
Raphael started out his football career in FC Ebedei in Ijebu-Ode around from 2016 to 2019. Thereafter he joined the Danish academy of FC Midtjylland from 2019 to 2020, where he eventually signed a 5-year contract ending in 2025. However, he was loaned out to Danish First Division club FC Fredericia from 2020 to 2021. Later in 2021, Raphael returned to Midtjylland and was promoted to membership of the first team squad.
Akinkunmi Amoo
Akinkunmi Amoo was born in June, 2002 in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. He is currently a winger playing for the Danish team FC Copenhagen.
Akinkunmi was trained at Brightville Academy, from where he moved to join Sidos FC in Lagos. He eventually joined the Nigerian team to play in the 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations (they finished fourth place). He also retained his Nigerian team membership in the 2019 U-17 World Cup tournament.
From 2020 to 2022, Akinkunmi signed up with Sweden’s Hammarby IF football club. He helped the team to win the 2020-31 Svenska Cupen, with a handful of strategic goals. His performance during that period caught the attention of some big European teams. Akinkunmi ended up as one of the nominees of the Allsvenskan Player of the Year (though he did not win).
Olakunle Olusegun
Olakunle Olusegun was born in April 2002 in Ilorin, southwest Nigeria. He is a professional winger currently playing for the Russian football team, FC Krasnodar since 2022. His football career began in Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC of Ilorin sometime between 2019 and 2020.
Olakunle was opportuned to be a member of the Nigeria team in the 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations (where he scored a goal). He was also in the Nigerian team for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup (where he scored yet another goal).
Before joining his present club, he had played for Russian football club, FDC Vista Gelendzhik (2020) and Danish Football club Fremad Amager (2020-21).
Nathaniel Nwosu
Born in January 2006, Nathaniel Nwosu is a goalkeeper for Water FC Academy in Abuja, and a member of the Nigerian National team. The tall goalkeeper switched from being a midfielder to his current role.
He won the Golden Gloves award as the best goalkeeper at the 2022 WAFU Zone B U-20 Tournament. Nathaniel was also the Nigerian team goalkeeper in the following matches:
- 2022 African Nations Championship qualification
- 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
- 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup
Victor Boniface
Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface was born in December 2000 in Akure, southwest Nigeria. He currently plays as a forward for the German professional league club, Bayer Leverkusen.
Boniface started out as a player in Nigerian club, Real Sapphire FC in Lagos. From there, he signed up with Norway’s FK Bodo/Glimt, for which he scored a record 13 goals between 2019 and 2022. He joined Belgian club Union SG from 2022 to 2023, and scored a total of 9 goals. For his performances, Boniface was awarded Europa League Top Scorer for 2022-23.
That Victor Boniface is shooting for the stars is clear. Yet another star member of Nigeria’s most promising young football talents.
Alhassan Yusuf
Born in July 2002, small but mighty Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi hails from Kano, Nigeria. He has been playing as a defensive midfielder with the Belgium First Division A football club, Royal Antwerp since 2021. However, Alhassan started his soccer career with the Swedish club IFK Goteborg in 2018.
He is reputed to be good at long-range shooting and is quite fast. Alhassan once won the Swedish league Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year Award. We are proud to name this dynamite of a player as one of Nigeria’s most promising young football talents this 2923.
Abubakar Abdullahi
Abubakar Abdullahi is a skilled forward striker currently playing for the Nigerian U-17 national team. He was born in January 2006.
He was a member of Jega United football club in Kebbi State of Nigeria, before joining the Nigerian National U-17 team. Abubakar helped the Nigerian squad to win the 2022 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship, by scoring two goals for the team. He also teamed up to play in the U-17 African Cup of Nations.
Abubakar’s excellent skills as a defender and striker have attracted negotiations from international clubs. He is rumoured to be in a deal with Portugal’s FC Porto.
Precious Williams
Previous Williams is an attacker; currently the forward and team captain of the Nigerian U-17 national football team. Born in October 2006, Precious plays for the renowned HB Academy in Abuja.
He led the Nigerian national team to win the 2022 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship. He is definitely a lively player to watch out for.
