Nigeria Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen on Saturday surpassed legendary striker Yakubu Aiyebeni in the highest goal scoring ranking chat for the Nigeria National team.
Osimhen made the record after scoring his 22nd goal against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory.
The Super Eagles began their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin on Saturday with a resounding 3-0 victory as Osimhen came on the bench and scored just six minutes into the game.
The former Lille and Napoli forward was dropped to the bench after losing match fitness as Victory z Boniface was preferred ahead of him to lead the attack.
The 25-year old came off the bench to score Nigeria’s second of the evening after Ademola Lookman had given Nigeria the lead at the brink of half time.
Lookman also scored to gift Nigeria a 3-0 win as Osimhen scored his 22nd international goal to leapfrog Yakubu of the 3rd place after the former Everton and Portsmouth forward had scored 21 international goals.
The current African Footballer of the Year now sits behind only legendary figures Rashidi Yekini and Segun Odegbami in the all-time list.
Yekini, with his record 37 goals, remains the gold standard for Nigerian strikers. The late forward, who played for the Super Eagles from 1984 to 1998, was instrumental in Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON triumph and became the first Nigerian to score in a World Cup, a feat he achieved at the 1994 edition in the USA.
Segun Odegbami, fondly called ‘Mathematical’ for his precise dribbling and goal scoring, holds the second spot with 23 goals. His exploits were crucial in Nigeria’s first AFCON title win in 1980, and his record has stood for over four decades.
Following Aiyegbeni now in the top five is Ikechukwu Uche, who netted 19 goals for the national team, with his contributions particularly notable in AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
As Osimhen continues to find the back of the net with regularity, speculation grows about his potential to break Yekini’s long-standing record of 37 goals.
