Nigerian football is one of the strongest in Africa. Its players are physical and also very technical. There are players of high international level spread all over the world who have been able to train in their own country. The national competition is also strong within the CAF (Confederation of African Football).
In this article we will introduce you to the Nigerian Premier League and its different leagues. Also its most successful clubs and the country’s most prominent players. In addition, we will link Nigerian football and Spanish football to find out what they have in common and which players have succeeded in Europe.
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Football league system in Nigeria
In the African country, there is a system of leagues interconnected by the Nigeria Football Clubs Association. The most important football league in the country is the Nigerian Premier League. This is followed by the National League, which is divided into two zones. Within this National League of Nigeria, which is divided into two groups, there are different competitions according to geographical zones.
Within group A there are 4 zones and within group B there are 4 zones. The last professional category in the country is the Nigerian National Third Division or the amateur First Division. Here teams are divided into groups of 8 different zones. Promotion and relegation from this third tier is done with local and state amateur leagues considered as non-league football.
Premier League de Nigeria
The Nigerian Premier League is organised by the Nigerian Football Federation. The champion and runner-up teams qualify directly for the CAF Champions League, and the third-placed team qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup. This African league was founded in 1972 and it is in the 2002 season that the league became a professional competition.
In 2006, the league changed its calendar to adapt to the European system, starting in August and ending in May of the following year. It is currently contested by 20 teams and Enyimba FC is the club that has won the competition the most times.
Top clubs in Nigeria
Within Nigerian football and its competition, Enyimba FC stands out with 8 league titles, especially the most recent ones; Enugu Rangers FC with 7 trophies; Shooting Stars FC and Heartland FC with 5 leagues; and Kano Pillars FC with 4 championships. It is a competition in which there has been no clear winner in recent years.
Teams like Akwa United FC or River United FC have been the last winners and were their first championships won. In addition, there is also the Nigerian Cup created in 1945 with the name of Governor’s Cup and as a successor of the defunct War Memorial Challenge Cup, with Bayelsa United being the winner in 2021.
Spanish and Nigerian football
Nigerian players are currently closely linked to Spanish football. Samuel Chukwueze of Villarreal CF is one of the most outstanding attacking players in LaLiga. Sadiq Umar, striker for Real Sociedad, is also one of the most promising players in Nigerian football.
Another pair of brothers well known in Spanish football were the Uche brothers. Ikechukwu Uche and Kalu Uche have been leading strikers for many years and at different levels in Spain. Nowadays there are more Nigerian players in the Spanish Second Division such as Nwakali, Omoigui, Omeruo or Erimuya.
Nigerian football in Europe
Nigerian players are also very present in European football. Victor Osimhen is the great reference in Europe. The current Napoli player is being the best scorer in the old continent and many teams are after him to sign him. Leicester City’s Iheanacho is another Nigerian striker who is a success in England.
More prominent players are Lookman of BC Atalanta, Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest or Aribo of Southampton. This shows that Nigerian football is very prominent within Europe and is relevant at international level. European clubs bet on these players and help in the training of Nigerian academies so that players can grow and have possibilities in football.
Nigerian football players who are legends
The Nigerian national football team has always been one of the most prominent on the African continent. This means that throughout its history there have been outstanding players from this African country. Nwankwo Kanu went on to play for Arsenal FC and won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.
Also Finidi George, a former Ajax and Real Betis player who played two World Cups with Nigeria. Augustine Azuka Okocha, considered one of the best players in the history of African football who played for PSG. Emmanuel Amunike, who played for FC Barcelona, also stands out.
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