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PulseSports30 is an annual football ranking that recognizes the 30 best-performing Nigerian footballers from across the globe.
PulseSports30 makes a return for a second year, recognizing the 30 best-performing Nigerian footballers from the 2022/23 football season.
As a non-discriminatory annual ranking, PulseSports30 considers footballers of Nigerian heritage who performed excellently either in Africa, Asia, Europe, North/South America, or Oceania.
56 performers were shortlisted for this year's final ranking, with 30, chosen after amassing the most points in a cumulative merit polling.
Meet entrants 20 to 11.
20. DAVID OKEREKE
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Okereke was one of Cremonese’s key players last season, finishing as the team’s second-highest goalscorer.
The Nigeria forward made a total of 38 appearances, scoring nine goals and providing three assists for Cremonese in all competitions. Although his performances could not help his team to safety in Serie A, he was very much one of their stronger players and signalled his quality with a classy strike against AC Milan in early May.
19. TYRONNE EBUEHI
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The Empoli defender can be said to have had one of his best seasons, playing a total of 26 games and starting 22 of those during the concluded Italian Serie A season.
Ebuehi was instrumental in Empoli's 10th-place finish, scoring two goals and providing four assists for them. He also made a major contribution to the defence as Empoli kept nine clean sheets throughout the campaign.
18. BRUNO ONYEMAECHI
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Onyemaechi was solid in defence for Boavista last season, an ever-present for the Portuguese side as they finished comfortably in midtable.
The Nigerian defender, who was on loan from Feirense, played 29 games last season as both a left-back and a centre-back, scoring two goals and providing one assist for his team. His performances not only earned him a maiden international call-up and the club’s Player of the Month gong in March but also admiration from Porto.
17. JOSH MAJA
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Josh was one of Bordeaux's most important players last season, racking up 17 goals and providing six assists in all competitions for Les Girondins to finish as the club’s highest goal scorer in Ligue 2.
Buoyed by the 24-year-old’s performances and goals, Bordeaux came extremely close to securing promotion back to Ligue 1, but fell short of the mark by three points. Nevertheless, his exploits across the Channel have seen him linked with a return to British football.
16. KEVIN AKPOGUMA
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At Hoffenheim, Akpoguma had himself a successful campaign as he frequently featured in defence for the German club. The Nigerian defender was one of Hoffenheim’s regular back three defenders and made the Bundesliga team of the week twice last season.
The 28-year-old played so much of an important role for his team as he made 21 starts in 28 matches, and helping Hoffenheim to a 12th-position finish, and keeping five clean sheets in the process.
15. KELECHI IHEANACHO
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Iheanacho was deservedly named Leicester City's player of the season, one of the few who rose to the occasion as the Foxes were relegated.
Although his efforts were not enough to save the club from the drop, his five goals and five assists in only 11 starts saw his reputation enhanced.
The Leicester City man also scored the late winner against Sierra Leone to confirm Nigeria's place in next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
14. PETER OLAYINKA
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Although his 11 goals could not help them to the league title, Olayinka was immense in helping his team to the Czech Cup, his third for the club.
Olayinka had an impressive 25-goal contribution in all competitions, with 17 goals and eight assists in what was his final season with Slavia Prague. He scored four of those goals in Europe, two in the UEFA Europa Conference League and two in its qualifiers.
13. RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA
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In only his first season, Onyedika was a vital cog in a Club Brugge team that punched significantly above its weight in the Champions League.
Club Brugge memorably beat Porto, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in the group stage of Europe's elite competition to book a historic UCL knockout ticket, with the Nigerian conductor starring in the heart of the midfield.
The 22-year-old also played 31 times in the league, excelling in spite of managerial instability.
12. NATHAN TELLA
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Tella spent the season on loan at Burnley from Southampton, and his 17 league goals – the most for the Clarets and fifth-highest in the Championship – helped Vincent Kompany's side win the league and clinch promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The 23-year-old also made five assists for his teammates, showing his eye for a pass in the Clarets' dominant ride back to the top flight.
11. BRIGHT OSAYI-SAMUEL
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The 25-year-old defender was impressive for Fenerbahce in the Turkey Super Lig last season, helping them clinch the Turkish Super Cup.
Osayi-Samuel only made his Super Eagles debut in late 2022 and has already made himself a mainstay in Jose Peseiro's side, rarely failing to impress.
His performance in his debut, a 4-0 defeat to Portugal, earned him many plaudits and he has since been arguably the Super Eagles' best defender in the AFCON 2024 qualifiers.
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