Sports
Nigeria tops list of African players in Premier League
Nigeria has set another record of having the highest number of players among African nationals who have featured in the prestigious English Premier League, the most followed football league in the world.
According to the statistics released by the BBC recently, thirty five (35) Nigerians have played in the EPL till date with the likes of Efan Ikoku, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, George Finidi, Ifeanyi Udeze, Yakubu Aiyegbeni leading the pack in the past.
About 246 African players have played in the Premier League since it began in 1992, scoring 1,776 goals in 14,210 appearances.
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has scored the most goals (104), Kolo Toure has made the most appearances (349) while Nigeria (35) has contributed the most players.
Nigerians currently playing in the Premier League include John Obi Mikel (Chelsea) Victor Anichebe (West Brom) Victor Moses (West Ham) Emmanuel Emenike (West Ham) Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Odion Ighalo (Watford) Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City) and Osaze Odemwingie (Stoke City) who recently went on loan to Bristol City.
Nigeria may have contributed the most players from Africa to the Premier League (35) but it is Egypt that has the most fans of Premier League clubs on Facebook.
Some 2,150,953 Egyptians follow Arsenal on the social media platform, while 3,129,223 support Chelsea.
Perhaps the most significant example of fans from a country following a team because of a specific player comes at Leicester City.
Read also: Excited Iwobi repays Wenger’s faith with a goal
The Premier League leaders courtesy of Riyad Mahrez have 347,998 friends in Algeria – a huge 16.6 % of their total – which dwarfs the 139,982 fans they have in the UK.
Portsmouth (24) have had the most African players in the Premier League while Bradford City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town had none.
An influx of 10 new African signings in January has pushed this season’s total up to 57 – just two below the record from 2007-08. All statistics correct as of 18 March 2016.
NIGERIANS PAST/PRESENT EPL PLAYERS
Julius Aghahowa – Wigan Athletic – 2006–08
Shola Ameobi – Newcastle United, Crystal Palace – 2000–09, 2010–15
Daniel Amokachi – Everton – 1994–96
Victor Anichebe – Everton, West Bromwich Albion – 2015
Sone Aluko – Hull City – 2013–15 till date
Celestine Babayaro – Chelsea, Newcastle United – 1997–2007
Efan Ekoku – Norwich City, Wimbledon – 1992–99
Emmanuel Emenike – West Ham United – 2015 till date
Dickson Etuhu – Sunderland, Fulham – 2007–12
Ade Akinbiyi – Norwich City, Leicester City, Sheffield United – 1993–95, 2000–02, 2006–07
Sammy Ameobi – Newcastle United – 2010–15
Finidi George – Ipswich Town – 2001–02
Brown Ideye – West Bromwich Albion – 2014–15
Odion Ighalo – Watford – 2015 till date
Kelechi Iheanacho – Manchester City – 2015 till date
Carl Ikeme – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 2011–12
Alex Iwobi – Arsenal – 2015 till date
Blessing Kaku – Bolton Wanderers – 2004–05
Nwankwo Kanu – Arsenal, West Brom, Portsmouth – 1998–2010
Obafemi Martins – Newcastle United, Birmingham City – 2006–09, 2010–11
John Obi Mikel – Chelsea – 2006–till date
Victor Moses – Wigan Athletic, Chelsea, Liverpool, Stoke City, West Ham United – 2009–2015 till date
Victor Obinna – West Ham United – 2010–11
Peter Odemwingie – West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City, Stoke City– 2010–2015 till date
Austin Okocha – Bolton Wanderers – 2002–06
Isaac Okoronkwo – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 2003–04
Seyi Olofinjana – Stoke City, Hull City – 2008–10
Danny Shittu – Watford, Bolton Wanderers – 2006–07, 2008–09
Sam Sodje – Reading – 2006–07
Taye Taiwo – Queens Park Rangers – 2011–12
Ifeanyi Udeze – West Bromwich Albion – 2002–03
John Utaka – Portsmouth – 2007–10
Taribo West – Derby County – 2000–01
Yakubu – Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Blackburn Rovers – 2003–12
Joseph Yobo – Everton, Norwich City – 2002–10, 2013–14
George Ndah – Crystal Palace – 1992–95
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