After another outstanding season across Europe, Nigerian stars once again showcased their quality on some of football’s biggest stages. From title races to relegation battles, they delivered memorable performances, earning their places in PUNCH Sports Extra’s Super Eagles Team of the Season for 2025/26, lined up in a 4-4-2 formation

GOALKEEPER — Maduka Okoye (Udinese)

Maduka Okoye enjoyed a standout 2025/26 season, establishing himself as one of Serie A’s most dependable goalkeepers and strengthening his claim for Nigeria’s No. 1 shirt. The Udinese shot-stopper kept 10 clean sheets in 29 league games, becoming the first Nigerian goalkeeper since Vincent Enyeama in 2014/15 to reach double figures in a top five European league. His impressive displays, including a commanding performance in a 3-0 win over AC Milan, earned him several Serie A Team of the Week selections and a nomination for the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year award. With a 70.9 per cent save rate and less than a goal conceded per game, Okoye played a key role in Udinese’s comfortable survival.

He also received a Player of the Month nomination for May after back-to-back clean sheets against Torino and Cagliari.

LEFT-BACK — Zaidu Sanusi (Porto)

Zaidu Sanusi continued to prove his worth as one of African football’s most dependable left-backs, playing a key role as Porto won the Portuguese Primeira Liga title in the 2025/26 season — the second league winner’s medal of his time at the club.

The 28-year-old made 26 appearances across all competitions, contributing one goal and two assists while logging over 1,600 minutes of action. His form has drawn attention from Serie A, with Atalanta reportedly identifying him as a summer target as the Bergamo club prepare for a major squad overhaul.

CENTRE-BACK — Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor)

Few Nigerian players enjoyed a rise as remarkable as Chibuike Nwaiwu in 2025/26. Less than a year after playing for Enyimba in the NPFL, the 22-year-old finished the season as a Turkish Cup winner, a Super Eagles international and one of Europe’s most sought-after young defenders. A commanding figure in Trabzonspor’s defence, Nwaiwu combined aerial dominance with composure on the ball, playing a key role in their Turkish Cup triumph while attracting interest from clubs including Newcastle United, Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen.

CENTRE-BACK — Calvin Bassey (Fulham)

Calvin Bassey has been the cornerstone of the Super Eagles’ defence throughout the season and arguably the most reliable Nigerian defender in European football. The Fulham centre-back combines an imposing physical presence with technical precision, making him a nightmare for opposing strikers.

His aerial dominance, recovery pace and ability to read the game have made him a consistent performer at Craven Cottage, where he has made over a century of appearances since joining from Ajax in 2023. Bassey is also a leader by nature, organising those around him and contributing vital goals from set-piece situations when called upon.

RIGHT-BACK — Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn)

Ryan Alebiosu enjoyed a breakthrough 2025/26 season that earned him his first Super Eagles call-up and ultimately a bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, cementing his status as one of the most exciting full backs in the Championship.

Operating primarily as a right wing-back for Blackburn Rovers, the 22-year-old featured in 39 matches, contributing one goal and five assists across the campaign and finishing as the fourth-highest rated Nigerian player in the division with a WhoScored rating of 6.76. His attacking instincts, technical quality in dribbling situations and ability to deliver from wide areas made him one of the most dynamic players in his position throughout the season. His finest individual display came against Millwall, where he contributed an assist and completed four successful dribbles in a performance rated 7.85.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER — Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas)

Wilfred Ndidi remains the heartbeat of the Super Eagles midfield, a player whose importance to the team is most evident when he is absent. The captain brings discipline, energy and leadership to everything Nigeria does, setting the tempo and providing the defensive cover that allows the players around him to express themselves.

Since Chelle took charge, Nigeria have gone 19 matches unbeaten, and Ndidi’s role as the anchor of that run cannot be overstated. At club level, the Besiktas FC midfielder has continued to demonstrate his quality.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER — Alex Iwobi (Fulham)

Alex Iwobi has enjoyed one of the most fulfilling seasons of his career, cementing his place as one of the Super Eagles’ most important players while performing consistently for Fulham in the Premier League throughout the campaign.

The 30-year-old has been a model of consistency for Fulham, contributing at both ends of the pitch with a directness and industry that has made him difficult to leave out. His experience and composure in big games make him indispensable to Chelle’s system. His four goals and three assists still keep him among the top midfielders for goal contributions in the campaign.

LEFT WING — Akor Adams (Sevilla)

Since breaking into the Super Eagles setup in October 2025, Akor Adams has made a compelling case that he is too good to leave out of any conversation about Nigeria’s best attackers, even if in Europe, he falls just outside the top two striker positions.

The Sevilla forward contributed five goals and two assists in 13 national team appearances during the season, forming a productive partnership with Victor Osimhen during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Quick, technically sharp and dominant in the air, Adams brings a different dimension to the Super Eagles attack — capable of playing wide but dangerous enough to drift central and threaten goal.

For Sevilla, he scored 10 goals and provided three assists to rescue them from relegation concerns.

RIGHT WING — Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Atletico)

Ademola Lookman was, for much of the season, the most dangerous Nigerian attacking player in European football. His performances for Atalanta in the first half of the campaign were electrifying; a continuation of the form that saw him score a hat-trick in the Europa League final and register 55 goals during his time in Bergamo.

His move to Atlético Madrid in January for approximately €35m euros underlined the level of recognition he had earned, though adapting to Diego Simeone’s demanding defensive structure proved challenging. He still contributed four La Liga goals alongside strikes in the Copa del Rey and Champions League following the move.

Lookman combined for 14 goals and four assists across all competitions during the 2025/26 season for Atalanta and Atlético Madrid.

CENTRE-FORWARD — Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)

Paul Onuachu delivered one of the most prolific seasons of his career, contributing 26 goals and two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions for Trabzonspor. The towering striker was the driving force behind the club’s Turkish Cup triumph, scoring both goals in a 2-1 final victory over Konyaspor — a brilliant volley for the first and a composed penalty to complete the brace.

At 31, Onuachu remains a physical force who is extremely difficult to handle, combining his obvious aerial threat with surprisingly sharp footwork and intelligent link-up play.

CENTRE-FORWARD — Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)

Victor Osimhen’s 2025/26 season was another statement of his status as one of the most complete strikers in world football. The Super Eagles captain contributed 15 league goals and five assists in 22 Super Lig appearances as Galatasaray retained the Turkish league title, while also adding seven goals and three assists in the Champions League as the club reached the round of 16.

His season was interrupted by a fractured right forearm sustained in a Champions League clash against Liverpool at Anfield, but even that setback could not dim the brilliance of his overall campaign. He remains, comfortably, Nigeria’s most potent attacking weapon.

Honourable mentions: Several other Super Eagles stars also enjoyed outstanding campaigns and were unfortunate to miss out on the starting XI. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo impressed in the Championship with Wrexham before marking his senior Nigeria debut with back-to-back clean sheets. Defenders Semi Ajayi, Igoh Ogbu, Bruno Onyemaechi and Emmanuel Fernandez all excelled for club and country, with Fernandez emerging as one of the season’s breakout stars after winning Rangers’ Player of the Year award. In midfield, Raphael Onyedika continued to establish himself as one of Nigeria’s finest all-round midfielders, helping Club Brugge to domestic success, while Frank Onyeka played a pivotal role in Coventry City’s promotion-winning campaign. Up front, Kelechi Iheanacho rolled back the years with key goals and experience as Celtic completed a domestic double in Scotland.