FULL LIST: 5 Nigerian Players With Most AFCON Goals
Nigeria is one of the best teams with the most success in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) history, winning the trophy three times and qualifying to the semi finals over 15 times.
This success has largely been due to the flurry of attackers the nation has had.
Here are five Nigerian attackers with the most AFCON goals:
1. Rashidi Yekini – 13 goals:
Nigerian Rashidi Yekini screams 21 June 1994 through the net after scoring the first goal at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during their World Cup match against Bulgaria. (FILM)
Nigeria’s all-time highest goalscorer is also the man with the most goals at the African championships.
Thirteen of Yekini’s 37 goals for the Eagles came at four Nations Cup tournaments.
His last Afcon was his most glorious as Yekini scored five goals and reclaimed the highest goalscorer helping Nigeria emerge as champions at Tunisia ’94.
2. Jay-Jay Okocha – Seven goals
Okocha was also a member of that victorious squad at Tunisia ’94 but the midfielder did not score his first AFCON goal until Ghana/Nigeria 2000.
The playmaker scored twice in the 4-2 defeat of Tunisia in the opening match before smashing a goal-of-the-tournament contender in the final against Cameroon.
Okocha then sealed his place among Africa’s greats when he scored four times, finished joint-top scorer, and was named the Best Player of Tournament at Tunisia 2004.
3. Segun Odegbami – Six goals
Ghana hosted and won the 11th edition of the Afcon in 1978 but Segun Odegbami left his imprint on that tournament.
Deployed mainly as a winger, the Shooting Stars of Ibadan ace contributed three goals in his first-ever appearance at the showpiece to help Nigeria secure the bronze medal.
Two years later, Odegbami repeated his three-goal feat, and this time it was enough to seal the Eagles’ first-ever Afcon triumph and elevate him onto this exclusive list.
4. Julius Aghahowa – Six goals
Nigeria’s squad at Ghana/Nigeria 2000 had experienced and accomplished strikers in Arsenal’s Nwankwo Kanu, Wolfsburg’s Jonathan Akpoborie, Borussia Dortmund’s Victor Ikpeba, and Grazer AK’s Benedict Akwuegbu.
But it was Esperance’s teenage forward Julius Aghahowa who lit up that tournament with three spectacular goals, including the late, late brace that shot down Senegal in the quarterfinals.
Nigeria finished a disappointing third yet again at Mali 2002 but it was a fantastic tournament on an individual level for Aghahowa. He netted another three goals to share the highest goalscorer award with two others – Patrick Mboma and Salomon Olembé – and made the Team of the Tournament.
5. Odion Ighalo – Five goals
Ighalo made his Afcon debut at Egypt 2019, but he showed he was no newbie in front of goal as he hit the target five times to claim the top scorer award even if the Super Eagles only stumbled to a third-place finish.
