Top scorers, most appearances, UEFA Champions League successes: Who are Nigeria's most successful UEFA players?

The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour has come to Nigeria, giving us a great opportunity to showcase the players from Africa's most populous nation who have brought their talents to the world's top club competition.

Nwankwo Kanu and Obafemi Martins are the star performers in terms of appearances and goals, with Kanu also one of three Nigerian players who have won the UEFA Champions League.

Most appearances by a Nigerian player in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)

60: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Arsenal)
59: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea)
36: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Wolfsburg, Rubin)
35: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, AC Milan, Dynamo Kyiv)
29: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moskva, Leicester)
28: Efe Ambrose (Celtic)
26: Julius Aghahowa (Shakhtar Donetsk)
26: Atanda Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kyiv)
25: Chidi Odiah (Sheriff, CSKA Moskva)
21: Céléstine Babayaro (Anderlecht, Chelsea)
21: Viktor Ikpeba (Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)

Obafemi Martins: after scoring a UEFA Cup goal for Newcastle in 2006©Getty Images

Top-scoring Nigerians in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)

10: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Wolfsburg, Rubin)
7: Julius Aghahowa  (Shakhtar Donetsk)
7: Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moskva, Fenerbahçe, Olympiacos)
7: Viktor Ikpeba (Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)
7: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa)
6: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moskva, Leicester)
5: Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Olympiacos)
5: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Arsenal)
5: Emmanuel Bonaventure (Club Brugge)
4: Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Beer-Sheva)
4: Michael Obiku (Feyenoord, Anorthosis Famagusta)

Most appearances by a Nigerian player in UEFA club competition*

Nwankwo Kanu celebrates a UEFA Champions League goal for Arsenal in 2000Getty Images

81: Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax, Internazionale Milano, Arsenal, Portsmouth)
78: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, AC Milan, Dynamo Kyiv, Bursaspor, HJK Helsinki, RoPS Rovaniemi)
70: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea, Trabzonspor)
63: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Newcastle, Wolfsburg, Rubin, Levante)
53: Céléstine Babayaro (Anderlecht, Chelsea, Newcastle United)
52: Jay-Jay Okocha (Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers)
52: Peter Olayinka (Skënderbeu, Zulte Waregem, Slavia Praha)
51: Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United)
51: Atanda Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kyiv, Metalist Kharkiv)
50: Finidi George (Ajax, Real Betis, Ipswich Town, RCD Mallorca)
50: Vincent Enyeama (Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, LOSC)

Top-scoring Nigerians in UEFA club competition*

23: Obafemi Martins (Internazionale Milano, Newcastle United, Wolfsburg, Rubin, Levante)
15: Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United)
15: Viktor Ikpeba (RFC Liège, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund)
13: Jay-Jay Okocha (Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers)
13: Ayegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa, Middlesbrough, Everton)
12: Michael Obiku  (Anorthosis Famagusta, Feyenoord, APOEL)
12: Paul Onuachu (Midtjylland, Genk)
11: Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge, Kardemir Karabükspor)
11: Leke James (Aalesund, Molde, Sivasspor)
11: Olarenwaju Kayode (Austria Wien, Shakhtar, Sivasspor)

Nigerian landmarks

Stephen Keshi tangles with Sampdoria's Roberto Mancini in the 1990 Cup Winners' Cup final©Getty Images

First Nigerian player to play in a major UEFA club competition final
Stephen Keshi (Sampdoria 2-0 Anderlecht, 1990 European Cup Winners' Cup)

Nigerians who have won a European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League final
Finidi George & Nwankwo Kanu (Ajax 1-0 AC Milan, 1995)
Jon Obi Mikel (Bayern München 1-1 Chelsea, aet, Chelsea win 4-3 on pens, 2012)

Nigerians who have won a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final
Taribo West (Lazio 0-3 Internazionale Milano, 1998)
Chidi Odiah (Sporting CP 1-3 CSKA Moskva, 2005)

Nigerian players who have scored hat-tricks in UEFA club competitions*
Jay-Jay Okocha (Frankfurt 5-1 Iraklis, UEFA Intertoto Cup, 08/07/1995)
Michael Obiku (Feyenoord 6-0 Liepājas Metalurgs, UEFA Cup Winners‘ Cup, 28/09/1995)
Ayegbeni Yakubu (Maccabi Haifa 3-0 Olympiacos, UEFA Champions League, 24/09/2002)
Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton 6-1 Brann, UEFA Cup, 21/02/2008)
Moses Simon (Trenčín 4-0 Vojvodina, UEFA Europa League, 17/07/2014)
Kehinde Fatai (Astra Giurgiu 3-0 Liberec, UEFA Europa League, 31/07/2014)
Aminu Umar (Osmanlıspor 5-0 Zimbru, UEFA Europa League, 21/07/2016)
Paul Onuachu (Derry City 1-4 Midtjylland, UEFA Europa League, 06/07/2017)
Adeleke Akinyemi (Ventspils 5-0 Luftëtari, UEFA Europa League, 12/07/2018)

*UEFA club competitions = European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup, European/South American Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup