The CIES Football Observatory has unveiled its list of the Top 100 Most Valuable Players in world football, with Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface emerging as the sole Nigerian international on the prestigious ranking.
Boniface, valued at €65.3 million, was ranked 90th on the list, making him the only Super Eagles star to feature. Surprisingly, Napoli’s prolific striker Victor Osimhen and reigning African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman were both absent from the rankings.
However, several players of Nigerian descent did make the cut, including Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee, Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, and 16-year-old Real Madrid prospect Samu Aghehowa.
Topping the list is Real Madrid and England midfield sensation **Jude Bellingham**, who leads the rankings with a staggering valuation of **€251.4 million**.
Other football superstars in the Top 10 include Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
The rankings, released periodically by the CIES Football Observatory, assess players based on performance, age, contract length, and market trends, highlighting the most coveted talents in global football.
