Orban ends 2023 as Nigeria’s top scorer in Europe
Nigerian striker, Gift Orban, ended the year 2023 as the most prolific Nigerian player in Europe’s top six league, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Orban joined Gent in January with a goal-scoring reputation from Norwegian second division side, Stabaek after netting 19 times in 24 games.
The 21-year-old scored 20 times in 22 games in his first season with Gent and has netted 12 times in 29 games so far this season taking his tally to 32 goals in 2023.
And despite scoring more goals than the Nigerian forwards listed for the Africa Cup of Nations billed to hold from January 13 to February 11, Orban was excluded from the Nigerian squad for the tournament.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen who was recently named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, ended the year in second place with 29 goals.
The former Wolfsburg and Lille striker was also named the Italian Footballers’ Association Player of the Year earlier this month after an outstanding season also became the first Nigerian to finish in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or vote with an eighth-placed finish and was made a Member of the Federal Republic in Nigeria.
Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, who has taken the German Bundesliga by storm is third behind Orban and Osimhen with 26 goals, 16 of which came in 23 games for his new club this season.
Boniface who is one eight forwards listed by Jose Peseiro has been outstanding for Leverkusen this season has scored 10 times in 16 games with seven assists
Meanwhile, Al Nassr forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, positioning himself as the year’s leading goal-scorer globally.
The Al Nassr forward’s latest stellar performance included a decisive brace in a 5-2 victory against Al Ittihad last Tuesday.
At 38 years old, Ronaldo showcased his enduring prowess by converting two crucial penalties in the triumph, elevating his tally to an impressive 53 goals and 15 assists in just 58 matches.
This achievement surpassed the 52 goals notched by Harry Kane (57 matches) and Kylian Mbappe (53 matches) with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.
In fourth place is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who has notched 50 goals in 60 matches for the Citizens in 2023.
Garbhan Coughlan of Ireland’s Cashmere Technical in in fourth position after netting 41 goals in 27 matches while in fifth place is Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC has bagged 40 goals in 53 matches.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines
