Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has firmly stamped his name among the world’s elite finishers, being recognised by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) as one of the most prolific international goal scorers of the decade alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.
The Nigerian international, currently plying his trade at Galatasaray, made the podium in the top scorers of national teams for the third decade of the 21st century (2021–2030), placing him in elite company with football’s most iconic forwards.
|
|
Osimhen sits joint 14th with Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrović, both having scored 27 international goals since 2021, underscoring the Nigerian forward’s remarkable consistency on the global stage.
A closer look at his output over the years reveals steady production: 5 goals in 2021, the same as in 2022 and 2023, dropping to 3 in 2024, then rising to 8 in 2025, his highest yet.
|
|
|
|---|
At the top of the IFFHS decade rankings is Erling Haaland with 49 goals, followed by Harry Kane (46), Messi (44), Ronaldo (41), and Mbappe (39). Other notable names include Memphis Depay and Mehdi Taremi (34 each), Romelu Lukaku and Sadio Mane (32), and Son Heung-min (28).
Osimhen’s Super Eagles legacy
Beyond the decade stats, Osimhen’s influence for Nigeria continues to rise. Since debuting in 2017, he has scored 35 goals in 51 appearances, making him Nigeria’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, surpassing legends like Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Segun Odegbami, Obafemi Martins, and Ikechukwu Uche. Only Rashidi Yekini remains ahead, by just two goals.
In 2025, Osimhen was joint fifth worldwide for goals across club and country, scoring 46 goals, the highest tally for any African player since 2019 and making him the top African scorer of the year.
READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Why NPFL’s top scorers rarely break through abroad
The 2023 African Footballer of the Year has collected two AFCON bronze medals and one silver, but the continental title continues to elude him. With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations set to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, Osimhen will be aiming to convert personal milestones into glory for Nigeria.
From Champions League goals at San Siro to record-breaking feats for his country, Victor Osimhen is not just a striker; he is a global goal machine in the making, writing his legacy one goal at a time.
