Victor Boniface: 3 players who can benefit from Super Eagles star's retirement

Cyriel Dessers has been consistently building a compelling case for a more prominent role in the Super Eagles.

His Rangers form has been notably impressive, registering 29 goals in 55 appearances across all competitions in the 2024-25 season, including 18 in the Scottish League, which earned him the Scottish Premiership Golden Boot.

Dessers' versatility, keen goal-scoring instinct and high work rate make him a valuable asset to any attacking line-up, and the forward recently provided an assist for Nigeria's opening goal against Jamaica in the Unity Cup.  

Despite his robust club performances, the Rangers frontman has openly articulated his "hurt" and "disappointment" at having only featured in friendly matches for the Super Eagles, never in a competitive game, since his debut in 2020.

The forward acknowledged Victor Osimhen as the "clear number one" but firmly believes his form warrants a place in competitive squads.

Nice striker Terem Moffi is another forward well-placed to benefit from a reshuffled Super Eagles attack if Boniface retires.

Moffi has consistently demonstrated strong goal-scoring capabilities in Ligue 1, notably becoming Nice's top scorer in the 2023-24 season with 11 goals.

Cumulatively, he has contributed 21 goals in 57 appearances for Nice since January 2023.

Crucially, Moffi recently returned to action in March 2025 after suffering a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in July 2024, which forced him to miss the entire first half of the season.

His return is widely regarded as "great news for both Nice and the Super Eagles".

Moffi's playing style is characterised by his physical presence, technical skill and innate goal-scoring ability. The Nice forward was notably called up to replace an injured Boniface in the 2024 AFCON squad.

Tolu Arokodare is another promising option for the Super Eagles' attack.

Arokodare has enjoyed a breakout season in Belgium, scoring 21 goals in 38 matches across the regular season and championship round in 2025.

His impressive performances earned him the prestigious Ebony Shoe for 2025, an accolade recognising the best player of African heritage in the Belgian Pro League.

In total, he registered 23 goals and seven assists in 44 games across all competitions for Genk in the 2024-25 season.  

Arokodare recently opened his Super Eagles goal-scoring account, netting the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Russia. Significantly, this pivotal goal came in the 71st minute, shortly after he replaced Victor Boniface in that very match.

While still considered "relatively new" to the national team setup, Arokodare’s immediate impact in Boniface's stead provides a strong argument for his increased involvement.