Nigerian footballers have established themselves as prominent talents in Europe, frequently dazzling fans with their goal-scoring prowess. The UEFA Champions League represents the highest level of club football on the continent, and several Nigerian players have made significant impacts by consistently finding the back of the net. This article highlights the top 10 Nigerian goal scorers in UEFA Champions League history, including goals scored during the qualifying rounds.
Victor Osimhen recently set a new record as the leading Nigerian scorer in the Champions League main tournament by converting a penalty in Galatasaray‘s 1-0 victory over Premier League champions Liverpool.
The former Napoli forward is rapidly cementing his legacy as arguably Nigeria’s finest striker, with this milestone bringing him closer to that status.
Nonetheless, many Nigerian players before him have also shone brightly in Europe’s premier club competition. Below, we explore the top 10 Nigerian goal scorers in the UEFA Champions League, factoring in goals from the qualifying stages.
10 = Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) – 4 goals
Despite earning only a single cap for the Super Eagles, Nwakaeme has had an extensive career across Europe, representing seven clubs so far.
Currently in his second tenure with Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, he made his mark in the Champions League scoring charts while playing for Israeli club Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
Between 2015 and 2019, all four of his goals came during the qualifying rounds, across 14 appearances.
10 = Michael Obiku (Feyenoord, Anorthosis Famagusta) – 4 goals
Though less familiar to younger Nigerian fans, Obiku was among the trailblazers for Nigerian players in the Champions League.
Starting his career on Nigeria’s challenging pitches with Flash Flamingoes, he later moved to Europe, playing for six clubs.
Obiku’s UCL goals came mainly with Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta, where he scored three times in qualifying, and once in the main tournament for Dutch side Feyenoord.
During his international career from 1988 to 1992, fierce competition limited him to five appearances and one goal for Nigeria’s senior team.
He now serves as a coach at Feyenoord Rotterdam’s Soccer Schools.
9 = Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure (Club Brugge) – 5 goals
Now a free agent after parting ways with Nottingham Forest, Dennis was once considered one of Nigeria’s most promising talents in Europe.
His peak Champions League form came with Belgian side Club Brugge, where he netted five goals-two in qualifiers and three in the main competition.
He has earned eight caps for Nigeria, scoring once, with his last national team call-up in 2022.
9 = Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos) – 5 goals
Ideye concluded his playing career in 2025 after a successful journey across European clubs and the Nigerian national team.
Best remembered for his partnership with Emmanuel Emenike during Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations victory, Ideye earned 27 caps and scored six goals for the Super Eagles.
In the Champions League, he scored four goals for Dynamo Kyiv-three in qualifiers and one in the main phase-and added a fifth goal for Olympiacos in the main tournament.
9 = Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Arsenal) – 5 goals
Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s finest Champions League players, Kanu’s legacy extends beyond goals to include numerous appearances and a UCL title.
‘Papilo’ holds the record for the most Champions League appearances by a Nigerian, featuring 60 times for Ajax and Arsenal. He scored five goals-all in the main tournament-with four for Arsenal and one for Ajax.
Kanu was part of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League-winning squad, playing seven matches and scoring once that season.
A revered figure in Nigerian football, many of his goals remain memorable highlights.
6. Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Leicester) – 6 goals
Musa featured 29 times in the Champions League, including four qualifying matches and 25 in the main competition, scoring six goals.
Known for his blistering pace, the winger now plays domestically for Kano Pillars in the Nigerian Professional League. All his UCL goals were scored during his stint with CSKA Moscow.
He was part of Nigeria’s 2013 AFCON-winning squad and holds the record as Nigeria’s top scorer at the FIFA World Cup with four goals.
5 = Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk) – 7 goals
Famous for his iconic backflip celebrations, Aghahowa scored seven goals in Europe’s top club competition.
All his goals came with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk-five in qualifiers and two in the main tournament-across 26 appearances.
He also netted 14 times in 32 appearances for Nigeria, including a memorable header against Sweden in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
5 = Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Fenerbahce, Olympiacos) – 7 goals
Emenike played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s 2023 AFCON triumph and was equally effective in European club football.
Of his seven Champions League goals, five were scored during qualifying rounds-one for Spartak Moscow, two for Fenerbahce, and one for Olympiacos-while he netted twice in the main tournament for Spartak.
He achieved this in just 13 appearances, underscoring his clinical finishing.
Emenike earned 37 caps for Nigeria, scoring nine goals, including four in the 2013 AFCON.
5 = Viktor Ikpeba (Monaco, Borussia Dortmund) – 7 goals
Known as the ‘Prince of Monaco,’ Ikpeba made his mark in the Champions League main stage by scoring seven goals in 19 appearances for AS Monaco.
Although he also played for Borussia Dortmund in the competition, all his goals came during his time in France.
He was a member of Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON-winning squad and earned 31 caps, scoring seven goals for the national team.
5 = Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa) – 7 goals
Yakubu’s Champions League goals all came during his early career at Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, shortly after his move from Nigerian side Julius Berger.
He scored seven goals in just eight appearances during the 2002-03 season, including a hat-trick against Olympiakos and a penalty in a 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Yakubu was a prolific scorer for Nigeria, netting 21 goals in 58 appearances.
1 = Obafemi Martins (Inter Milan, Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan) – 10 goals
Nicknamed the ‘weapon of mass destruction,’ Martins was a nightmare for defenders thanks to his explosive speed and agility.
He held the record as Nigeria’s top scorer in the Champions League for many years, with nine goals in the main tournament and one in qualifying.
All 10 of his UCL goals were scored during his time at Inter Milan, although he also featured for Wolfsburg and Rubin Kazan in the competition, accumulating 36 appearances.
Martins also enjoyed a fruitful international career, scoring 18 goals in 42 appearances for Nigeria.
1 = Victor Osimhen (Lille, Napoli, Galatasaray) – 10 goals
Osimhen currently holds the record for the most goals scored by a Nigerian in the Champions League main phase, with 10 goals to his name.
He scored twice for Lille, seven times for Napoli, and has already netted once for Galatasaray.
Remarkably, he achieved this feat in just 18 appearances and is expected to add more goals to his tally.
Osimhen is also climbing the ranks of Nigeria’s all-time top scorers, having scored 26 goals in 42 appearances for the Super Eagles. He trails Rasheed Yekini, the current record holder, by just 11 goals.