Nigerian Star Osimhen Joins Messi, Ronaldo Among Top Scorers
Victor Osimhen has earned a spot alongside football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as one of the decade's most prolific international goal scorers. The Nigerian striker's 27 goals since 2021 place him among the world's elite finishers.
A Nigerian football star is making history alongside names like Messi and Ronaldo, proving that greatness knows no borders.
Victor Osimhen, Nigeria's Super Eagles striker, has been recognized by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics as one of the most prolific international scorers of the 2020s decade. He ranks joint 14th worldwide with 27 international goals since 2021, sharing the spot with Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović.
The company Osimhen keeps tells the whole story. Norway's Erling Haaland tops the decade rankings with 49 goals, followed by England's Harry Kane with 46, Messi with 44, Ronaldo with 41, and France's Kylian Mbappe with 39.
Osimhen's journey shows steady growth and determination. He scored 5 goals each in 2021, 2022, and 2023, dipped slightly to 3 in 2024, then exploded with 8 goals in 2025, his best year yet for Nigeria.
The 26-year-old striker, currently playing for Turkish club Galatasaray, has been unstoppable across all competitions. In 2025 alone, he scored 46 goals for both club and country, making him the top African scorer of the year and the highest-scoring African player since 2019.
His impact on Nigerian football runs even deeper. Since his debut in 2017, Osimhen has scored 35 goals in just 51 appearances for the Super Eagles, making him Nigeria's second-highest scorer of all time. Only the legendary Rashidi Yekini stands ahead of him, by just two goals.
Why This Inspires
What makes Osimhen's achievement so meaningful is how he's elevating African football on the world stage. While playing for his country, he's surpassed beloved Nigerian legends like Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Obafemi Martins, inspiring a new generation of African players to dream bigger.
The 2023 African Footballer of the Year has collected bronze and silver medals at the Africa Cup of Nations, but the continental title still awaits. With the 2027 tournament coming to East Africa, Osimhen has time to convert his personal brilliance into team glory.
From Champions League goals in Italy to breaking records for Nigeria, Osimhen is proving that African talent can compete with anyone, anywhere.
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Based on reporting by Premium Times Nigeria
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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