Four Nigerian footballers have been named among the world’s 300 most influential players of the 2024-2025 season, according to a new ranking released by the CIES Football Observatory.
Leading the Nigerian contingent is Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi, who earned the highest rating among his compatriots.
Iwobi was ranked 37th globally with an index score of 87.4, placing him 12th among all wingers. The 29-year-old featured in all 38 Premier League matches for Fulham this season, becoming the first Nigerian to achieve the feat in two different seasons.
Iwobi registered nine goals and six assists, directly contributing to 15 goals for Fulham. He also created 12 big chances, averaged 1.6 key passes per game, and maintained an 80% pass accuracy. His balanced attacking play included four goals with his left foot and five with his right.
Closely following Iwobi is Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, ranked 48th globally with an index score of 86.7. The reigning African Footballer of the Year scored 15 Serie A goals and provided five assists this season. He is rated 10th among attacking midfielders.
Lookman, 26, also led Atalanta to their first-ever European trophy last season with a historic hat-trick in the Europa League final. His performances have reportedly drawn interest from top English clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool.
Napoli loanee Victor Osimhen also made the top 300 list, ranking 159th overall and 20th among centre-forwards with a score of 81. The 26-year-old forward, who played for Galatasaray on loan this season, netted 37 goals in all competitions—setting a new record for the highest-scoring foreigner in a single Turkish league season. His CIES finishing score of 86 is the ninth highest in the world.
Fulham’s Calvin Bassey completes the Nigerian quartet with a ranking of 257th globally and 49th among centre-backs. The 25-year-old defender, who recovered from a challenging stint at Ajax, featured in 35 Premier League matches and was rated the fourth-best centre-back in England by Data MB.
Bassey posted a 90% overall pass accuracy, won 62% of his duels, and averaged 4.8 recoveries per match, helping Fulham to key victories over top clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham. Reports have linked him to a potential move to Barcelona.
The CIES ranking evaluates players in the top 60 global leagues based on performance in six key areas—aerial play, ground defence, distribution, take-ons, chance creation, and finishing—alongside minutes played and team impact.
Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah topped the overall ranking, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Pedri González taking second and third spots. Other notable names include Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Florian Wirtz, and Kylian Mbappé.
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