The CAF Champions League Final is set to take place on May 30, however it has already started with some controversy regarding the venue in which it will be played.
The final will see current holders Al Ahly head to Morocco and play Wydad Athletic Club at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca. The Egyptians had lodged an appeal to have the game held elsewhere, but that was rejected. Nonetheless, we all know that we will be able to have a good time watching the match and enjoy the best that promotion.com.ng has to offer Nigerians, despite the fact that the country will not be represented in the final.
However, this actually got us wondering, which Nigerian players have been able to win the CAF Champions League? Let’s take a look at some of the statistics that we already know, whilst also taking a look at the Nigerians who have been able to claim success at other African clubs across the continent in this elite club competition.
How successful have Nigerian teams been in the CAF Champions League?
Football fans of Nigerian soccer might have realized that the nation has not been the most successful when it comes to playing in this special tournament, however that is not to say that there has not been any success.
Of course, Enyimba has been able to win the competition on two occasions, thus being the only side from the country to do so. Furthermore, there have been a total of nine occasions in which a club from the nation has managed to reach the final and end up as runners-up.
In contrast, clubs from North Africa appear to have been able to dominate the competition over the years, though, with teams from Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco all being very successful in the CAF Champions League.
Which Nigerian players have won the competition?
Whilst Enyimba has managed to claim the CAF Champions League title on two occasions, there have not been too many players from Nigeria to get their hands on this prestigious trophy. In fact, it would seem that only five other players playing for a club outside of the country have gone on to lift the trophy.
Junior Ajayi was the most recent to have won the title, as he managed to win the title on two occasions when playing for Al Ahly. He helped them to win the 2020 and 2021 competitions, and whilst he now plays for Liberian side Al-Nasr SC (Benghazi), he will likely be cheering on his former side to win a third title in a row. In doing so, he became the only player from Nigeria to win the tournament twice!
Chisom Chikatara enjoyed success with Wydad Casablanca in 2017, whilst John Zaki won the CAF Champions League in 1998 with ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast.
Playing for the Orlando Pirates in South Africa, goalkeeper William Okpara managed to win the biggest club competition across the continent in 1995, with Emmanuel Amunike becoming the first Nigerian player to win the tournament when he tasted success with Egyptian side Zamalek in 1993.