Sports

Nigeria’s Super Eagles ranked most expensive national team in Africa, 13th in the world

Published

2 years ago

March 31, 2023

The Super Eagles of Nigeria is officially the “Most Expensive Team” in Africa with a total value of €338.50m, according to the latest financial rankings of national teams released by Transfermarkt on Thursday.

The Super Eagles is also ranked the 13th most expensive team in the world, witnessing a massive rise in squad market value following a couple of high profile signings of Nigerian players in the last one year.

According to Transfermarkt, the rise in the squad market value has seen the three-time African champions move up two steps from 15th to the 13th most valuable international team globally, while also maintaining its position in Africa as the most valuable team on the continent.

“The Super Eagles of Nigeria boast players who ply their trade in Europe’s lucrative leagues, making them one of the world’s most valuable teams, with a total value of €338.50m,” the report said.

“The Nigerian squad’s value witnessed an increase of €37.5m compared to the squad’s previous value which was €301m in February.

“There was a massive rise in the market value of some of the Eagles players, following their recent outstanding performances for their various club sides.

“The biggest of them of all is Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen, who has the highest rise between the month of January and March.

“His excellent form saw a massive €30m rise in his market value, moving from €70m to €100m, and is now Nigeria’s most valuable player ever,” the report by Transfermarkt stated.

Other players in the star-studded Super Eagles team include Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, who though saw another drop in his valuation due to a bout of injuries, remains the second most valuable player in the team with €38m, compared to his previous value of €60m.

Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman is another player who contributed to the increase in the Super Eagles’ market value as he moved from his previous value of €20m to €30m, following his impressive debut season with the Italian club.

Everton forward, Alex Iwobi maintained his €25m valuation to remain as Super Eagles’ fourth most expensive player, while Villareal’s Samuel Chukwueze’s market value remains at €20m.

The likes of Terem Moffi, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey contributed to the growth of the Super Eagles’ value with a combined value of €72m.

On the African continent,
Morocco, who were once the third most valuable African team, are now second in Africa and 14th in the world with a team value of €306.85m, while Ivory Coast remains third in Africa and 22nd globally with a market value of €251.03m, with Ghana ranked fourth on the continent and 24th in the world.

African champions, Senegal, is fifth in Africa and 27th in the world.

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Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Cote d’Ivoire

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Al Ahly (Egypt)

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

CAF GOAL OF THE YEAR
Mabululu (Angola)

Sports

Salah wins 6th EPL Player of the Month award

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Egyptian national team captain and Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, was on Saturday voted the EA SPORTS Player of the Month for November 2024, making it his sixth POTM diadem in his career.

Salah, who has been in inspiring form this season, has scored and assisted five of Liverpool’s seven goals as the Reds won all three of their Premier League matches to stay top of the table.

Salah’s was November’s highest scorer in the Premier League and the Egyptian is now on 13 goals for the season, level with Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.

The 32-year-old also has 21 combined goals and assists this season, the most in the Premier League, four more than Cole Palmer, who ranked second in the voting.

This award also puts Salah alongside Premier League legends like Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo, who also won the Player of the Month award six times, and is now just one win away from equaling the record of seven awards, held by Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.