Unity Cup misses Nigeria's most influential trio as CIES ranks Iwobi, Lookman, Osimhen No. 1

The 506th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post revealed the most influential footballers of the 2024-2025 season in 60 leagues around the world, with three Nigeria internationals making the cut.

Fulham's Alex Iwobi has been ranked as the most influential Nigerian winger, while Atalanta's Ademola Lookman and Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen top the charts among Nigerian attacking midfielders and strikers respectively.

With an index score of 81, Osimhen has been rated as the joint-nineteenth best centre-forward in the world.

The six areas of the game considered are aerial play, ground defence, distribution, take on, chance creation and finishing.

Former African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen received scores of 69 for aerial play, 36 for ground defence, 24 for distribution, 46 for take-ons, 69 for chance creation, and an impressive 86 for finishing.

Iwobi, the 12th most influential winger in the world, was rated 22 for aerial play, 59 for ground defence, 66 for distribution, 75 for take-ons, 76 for chance creation, and a 74 for finishing.

Lookman,who ranked as the tenth best attacking midfielder in the world, scored 38 for aerial play, 56 in ground defence, 46 in distribution, 79 in take-ons, 85 for chance creation and 85 for finishing.

With an index rating of 87.4, Iwobi ranks just above Lookman, who scored 86.7.

Iwobi, Lookman and Osimhen all enjoyed standout seasons at club level, recording 15, 20 and 30 goal involvements respectively.

The three players were not named in the Nigeria squad for the ongoing Unity Cup and the high profile friendly against Russia next week.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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