Football talents are a dime a dozen in Nigeria, a country that churns out footballers round the clock from its production line.
Among the thousands who ply their trades around the world, a couple of players stood out and from these players, we present the Best Nigerian XI of 2018 in of the piece of the End of Year List.
As expected, all the players on this list have played for the Super Eagles as the national team is by and large made up by the best players from the country.
Goalkeeper
Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruña/Elche)
After emerging in 2017, it was in 2018 that Francis Uzoho grew in bounds to become the undisputed number one goalkeeper of the Super Eagles.
He never really got much game time at Deportivo La Coruna in the La Liga in the 2017/2018 season but with the Super Eagles he held his own and left the 2018 FIFA World Cup without his head buried in shame.
For this season so far, he has made four appearances for Elche.
Defenders
Tyronne Ebuehi
He might have been injured since the summer, but Tyronne Ebuehi was head and shoulders above every Nigerian full back.
He ended the 2017/2018 season with 28 appearances for ADO Den Haag in the Dutch Eredivisie. His obvious talent earned him a move to Benfica before the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Unfortunately for him, Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr stuck to his trusted soldiers at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, limiting him to just a 45-minute appearance in Russia.
In his 45-minute appearance against Iceland in the second group game, Ebuehi arguably had more impact than the other traditional fullbacks in the squad at the World Cup.
He provided width and pace on the left in that second half that helped Nigeria to a 2-0 win over Iceland, their only victory at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor/Udinese)
William Troost-Ekong has had an event year from Turkey to the World Cup and now Udinese. He didn’t get enough game time towards the end of the 2017/2018 season before the 2018 FIFA World Cup but he was a constant feature in Nigeria’s campaign in Russia.
He played in all Super Eagles three games in Russia and has been impressive for national in the qualifying run to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Cup (AFCON).
It’s with Udinese, the Serie A club he signed for after the World Cup that he has really impressed. The Nigerian has played in all 15 Serie A games this season.
Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa/Leganes)
One of the most consistent Nigerian defenders in top-flight football, Kenneth Omeruo has started to show glimpses of his early promises.
He finished the 2017/2018 season with 28 appearances for Kasimpasa who finished eighth in the Turkish Super Lig.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he was brought in from the start in Super Eagles three-man defence and he out in a solid performance in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Iceland where he had an assist.
After the World Cup, he went on another loan move to Leganess where he has now continued to be impressive after a slow start.
Wing-Backs
Victor Moses (Chelsea)
Victor Moses features as a wing-back in this formation because that is the position he was most influential in the year under review. He might be struggling now for game time at Chelsea under Maurizio Sarri who has no place for a wingback in this set-up but in that role, Moses ended the 2017/2018 season on a high as one of the best players in Chelsea.
He picked up form towards the end of the 2017/2018 season and was sometimes unplayable with the energy he brings to the right side of midfield. He ended the season with an FA Cup medal.
Moses was struggling at the 2018 FIFA World Cup before a switched to the familiar wingback unleashed his abilities once again. He assisted Nigeria’s first goal against Iceland and scored in the following game against September.
He might have managed just six games this season, but Moses has done enough to get into this XI.
Ola Aina (Hull City/Torino)
Unlucky not to make the Super Eagles squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Ola Aina is still one of Nigeria’s best full backs.
For Hull City, last season, the young defender made 46 appearances and has continued to be consistent in Italy with Torino.
In the Serie A this season, Aina has regularly played as a wing-back from the left where he has an assist in 13 games.
Due to injuries, he has also stepped in to help the Super Eagles in their successful AFCON 2019 qualifying campaign.
Midfielders
Wilfred Ndidi (Liecester City)
The most consistent Nigerian player in the whole of 2018, the year under review. For Leicester City, Ndidi continues to get critical applause for his solidity in midfield. He finished the 2017/2018 season as the leading tackler in the Premier League.
For the Super Eagles, he also played the three games of the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he didn’t disappoint.
For the latter part of the year, he has continued to be impressive for Leicester City where he is gradually evolving his game too. His passes are improving and he is taking more risk in front of goal.
The 21-year-old also played a crucial part in Nigeria’s qualification to AFCON 2019.
Oghenekaro Etebo (Las Palmas/Stoke City)
Oghenekaro Etebo started the year with a move to Spain to help Las Palmas in their relegation fight. They didn’t beat the drop but Etebo shone during his short stint in Spain. His impressive performances for Las Palmas earned him a move to Stoke City.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Etebo was arguably Nigeria’s best player in totality. In midfield, he worked tirelessly in all of the Super Eagles games in Russia. Since the World Cup, he has also played in all Super Eagles games including the crucial AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
His move to Stoke City has not gone as planned as the midfielder has had to struggle with injuries.
Alex Iwobi (Arsenal)
After the drift in Arsene Wenger’s final moments at Arsenal, Alex Iwobi has stepped up to become one of the most improved players in Unai Emery’s reinvigorated Arsenal.
Although he wasn’t at his best, Super Eagles boss Rohr got criticisms for not using Iwobi more at the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he played just one game.
Since then he has to step up to be one of Nigeria’s best players, impressing in some of Arsenal’s biggest games so far this season. He has scored against Chelsea and made a crucial assist against Liverpool as Arsenal have gone 20 games unbeaten.
For the Super Eagles, he has been influential in the absence of captain John Mikel Obi and has played in all but one of the AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
Ahmed Musa (Leicester City/Al Nassr)
2018 was the coronation year for Ahmed Musa whose efforts and performances for the Super Eagles over the years are now getting the appreciation they duly deserve. It was his brace against Iceland at the 2018 FIFA World Cup that defined Nigerian football in 2018.
Since then, he has become the most-loved Super Eagles player. That brace meant he was Nigeria’s highest goalscorer at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and also in the history of the competition with four goals.
In his club career, he was decent all year finishing the 2017/2018 season at CSKA Moscow where he has gone on loan to get game time ahead of the World Cup. He made 16 appearances for CSKA Moscow with six goals.
He was given a huge welcome at the airport in Saudi Arabia after he snapped up by Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia. He started with a bang there, scoring on his debut.
After the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he has continued to shine for the Super Eagles, scoring twice in four AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai)
All the blames of Super Eagles exit from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia fell on Odion Ighalo who missed a couple of chances in the 1-2 loss to Argentina in the final group game. Loathed and dejected, Ighalo has since returned to the Super Eagles to respond in emphatic fashion.
Since the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Ighalo has six goals for the Super Eagles including an impressive hat-trick and brace in a doubleheader against Libya in AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
Ighalo in 2018 has been Nigeria’s best striker, scoring with impressive consistency in the Chinese Super League for Changchun Yatai finishing the season with 21 league goals.