How many world class players do we have?

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Honorable mention for Iwobi but he misses out due to lack of consistent end product.

[Enugu II]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

[onovo]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

No Lookman ?

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

[Dammy]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Osimhen is the only world class player that we have. The others including Iwobi, Aina and Lookman are international class. Level or levels below world class but can hold their own at the highest levels

[1naija]

This is world class Joblessness. What is a world class player?

[maceo4]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

[Bigpokey24]

Okoye world class then what about Uzoho?

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

[maceo4]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

That’s your weird definition…and if that’s the case how come you listed the likes of Iwobi and Okoye? Are they starters for a top 5 team? And per your definition since Napoli is currently 7th…what’s that say about our man’s dem?

[Enugu II]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

That’s your weird definition…and if that’s the case how come you listed the likes of Iwobi and Okoye? Are they starters for a top 5 team? And per your definition since Napoli is currently 7th…what’s that say about our man’s dem?

At the rate the term world class is being thrown around, every Tom, d#$% & Harry is World Class. BTW, if those are all World Class then USA must have 15 or so world class players and how many does Brazil have? 30? Kai, even Okoye is World Class when Nwabali is not? Na waa ooo! Chukwueze is but Simon is not? Naaaa, go review your rubric bro.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

How many of our players are world class players at their relative positions? Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France.

I think we have 6. Osihmen, Okoye, Bassey, , Boniface, Chukwueze and Sanusi. I know a lot of people don’t rate Sanusi but dude is a defensive beast at the LB position. He barely makes but he makes it.

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

That’s your weird definition…and if that’s the case how come you listed the likes of Iwobi and Okoye? Are they starters for a top 5 team? And per your definition since Napoli is currently 7th…what’s that say about our man’s dem?

At the rate the term world class is being thrown around, every Tom, d#$% & Harry is World Class. BTW, if those are all World Class then USA must have 15 or so world class players and how many does Brazil have? 30? Kai, even Okoye is World Class when Nwabali is not? Na waa ooo! Chukwueze is but Simon is not? Naaaa, go review your rubric bro.

A player has to be in the top 1% in his position to be a regular for any of the top 5 teams in the top leagues. You really have to that good. Then you have the elite players who are at the very top of this small group of players. The Mbappes, Messi. DeBruyne and Co, There're just a very select few of them. I bring this up because I believe we should have a standard for SE invite instead of inviting players hoping they'll be good enough. That has to be the goal.

[Enugu II]

Na so world class be? Kai.

Chukwueze, world class? Abeg, change the definition of world class. I bet no one else will name those players world class except Nigerians. Be realistic. There is only one world class player in Nigeria in my opinion and that is Osimhen.

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

That’s your weird definition…and if that’s the case how come you listed the likes of Iwobi and Okoye? Are they starters for a top 5 team? And per your definition since Napoli is currently 7th…what’s that say about our man’s dem?

At the rate the term world class is being thrown around, every Tom, d#$% & Harry is World Class. BTW, if those are all World Class then USA must have 15 or so world class players and how many does Brazil have? 30? Kai, even Okoye is World Class when Nwabali is not? Na waa ooo! Chukwueze is but Simon is not? Naaaa, go review your rubric bro.

A player has to be in the top 1% in his position to be a regular for any of the top 5 teams in the top leagues. You really have to that good. Then you have the elite players who are at the very top of this small group of players. The Mbappes, Messi. DeBruyne and Co, There're just a very select few of them. I bring this up because I believe we should have a standard for SE invite instead of inviting players hoping they'll be good enough. That has to be the goal.

Emir,

You bring up an interesting conversation and one that has been going on, undercurrent, for years on this site. For me, I have a HUGE problem with the supposition for several reasons. Let me joust point to a few: (1) Football talent and performance is always transient i.e. form can only be temporal and this is why even the Big 5 that is often cited quickly go out to widen sources for their talent on an annual basis. (2) Footballers from Africa are not like those in Europe. What do I mean? They are less concerned about the Big 5 and more concerned about seeking a pay day wherever that may come. You will be surprised that supremely talented players from Nigeria may end up going to the Middle East whereas a less talented player from that same Nigeria goes to France. (3) Given the realities of Nigeria, using the BIG 5 to assess level of talent can be very deceptive. (4) Football talent scouting is not as foolproof as you may think. The current scouting in football misses a lot of talent. Why for instance is Nwabali still in South Africa while we have less talented goalkeepers in Europe? (5) Current starters in European Top 5 clubs are not necessarily better than other starters elsewhere. They merely owe their starting positions to the subjective view of their current manager. A new manager may simply put them on the bench while signing a new lad from outside the Big 5. This does not necessarily mean that the bench player is no longer objectively good. It simply means that the new manager has a different idea of how good he is.

You know, with our Top 5 league players we will still huff and puff while paying against South Africa (a team loaded with players from the South African league) as we have done playing against those from the league in Botswana. What have you learned from that, I may ask?

[aruako1]

Osimhen! Then Boniface may get there soon

[Tobi17]

I'll give it to Boniface, about to be a Bundesliga winner and might potentially win the Europa league...has more to his game than just scoring as well.

[metalalloy]

Only Osimhen at the moment.

[Tobi17]

Only Osimhen at the moment.

Lol

[Enugu II]

Only Osimhen at the moment.

SIGNED

[danfo driver]

Only Osimhen at the moment.

SIGNED

Simple as that, and in fact Osimhen just shaves it. I dont think people understand what it takes to be a world class player. imagine saying we have 6-7. so France , Brazil, Argentina have 50 each?

Some leagues only have 1-3 world class players. When you say world class, you are referring to the creme de la creme of world football. A player who stands above others, and has performed at a high level, season after season.

[Enugu II]

Only Osimhen at the moment.

SIGNED

Simple as that, and in fact Osimhen just shaves it. I dont think people understand what it takes to be a world class player. imagine saying we have 6-7. so France , Brazil, Argentina have 50 each?

Some leagues only have 1-3 world class players. When you say world class, you are referring to the creme de la creme of world football. A player who stands above others, and has performed at a high level, season after season.

Not sure Emir fully understands what a World Class player should be. How can one be world class and yet be bit-part contributor at his club? It defies logic.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Yes he is actually. Milan is 2nd in serie A and Chuks has been starting lately. I think you'd agree than Milan is a world class team with world class players. Wouldn't you? Then again, it's likely you believe that Chukwueze is the only Milan player that's not world class.

Milan’s entire starting lineup is not world class. The only world class player they have right now is Rafa Leao…

I clearly defended world class as follows.

“ Good enough to be a starter for a top 5 team in a top 5 league in the Epl, Spain, Germany, Italy or France”.

That’s your weird definition…and if that’s the case how come you listed the likes of Iwobi and Okoye? Are they starters for a top 5 team? And per your definition since Napoli is currently 7th…what’s that say about our man’s dem?

At the rate the term world class is being thrown around, every Tom, d#$% & Harry is World Class. BTW, if those are all World Class then USA must have 15 or so world class players and how many does Brazil have? 30? Kai, even Okoye is World Class when Nwabali is not? Na waa ooo! Chukwueze is but Simon is not? Naaaa, go review your rubric bro.

A player has to be in the top 1% in his position to be a regular for any of the top 5 teams in the top leagues. You really have to that good. Then you have the elite players who are at the very top of this small group of players. The Mbappes, Messi. DeBruyne and Co, There're just a very select few of them. I bring this up because I believe we should have a standard for SE invite instead of inviting players hoping they'll be good enough. That has to be the goal.

Emir,

You bring up an interesting conversation and one that has been going on, undercurrent, for years on this site. For me, I have a HUGE problem with the supposition for several reasons. Let me joust point to a few: (1) Football talent and performance is always transient i.e. form can only be temporal and this is why even the Big 5 that is often cited quickly go out to widen sources for their talent on an annual basis. (2) Footballers from Africa are not like those in Europe. What do I mean? They are less concerned about the Big 5 and more concerned about seeking a pay day wherever that may come. You will be surprised that supremely talented players from Nigeria may end up going to the Middle East whereas a less talented player from that same Nigeria goes to France. (3) Given the realities of Nigeria, using the BIG 5 to assess level of talent can be very deceptive. (4) Football talent scouting is not as foolproof as you may think. The current scouting in football misses a lot of talent. Why for instance is Nwabali still in South Africa while we have less talented goalkeepers in Europe? (5) Current starters in European Top 5 clubs are not necessarily better than other starters elsewhere. They merely owe their starting positions to the subjective view of their current manager. A new manager may simply put them on the bench while signing a new lad from outside the Big 5. This does not necessarily mean that the bench player is no longer objectively good. It simply means that the new manager has a different idea of how good he is.

You know, with our Top 5 league players we will still huff and puff while paying against South Africa (a team loaded with players from the South African league) as we have done playing against those from the league in Botswana. What have you learned from that, I may ask?

Oga,

I understand your position regarding my claim that the best players in the world play in the top 5 leagues, that the elite of those are what we refer to as world class. However, your argument about talent been transient, African talent having to earn a living regardless of where they play, scouting inconsistencies in identifying talent and players in lower leagues been as good at those in the top 5 really does not explain the huge gap in quality that we all know exist.

Talent requires years of development to be a professional player, an ongoing football education of a decade plus to be in the top 1% of players in the world. To claim that somehow the players at the top 5 teams in the top 5 leagues are not necessarily better than those in lower leagues is erroneous to say the least. Yes scouting is not a precise science but it is still the best way we have to discover new talent. Raw talent is deceiving because it’s not an indication of future success, all you have to do is look at the % of U17 players who go to the WC but never develop into pros, it’s close to 75%. The number goes down at the U20 level because the players have had more football education but it’s still well over 50%. The players that make it to be regulars at the top teams are the best of the best, not only in potential but actually.

Based on your argument, there’re world class players who play in lower leagues because they need to make money is mostly not true since we don’t have any evidence of such. The talent might be there but in 99% of these cases the results are not matching the talent. Also, there’s this assumption that Nigeria is full of world class talent that just need a chance to become superstars,that is also false. Yes we do have a lot of raw football talent but there’re no Mikels, JJ, Kanu, a Osihmen’s playing under the bridge waiting to be discovered by a good football Samaritan. Our problem is that we do not have the infrastructure to develop the players that we do have into better football professionals. The good news is that we now have more academies and facilities in the business of developing young players. If they’re lucky they might discover a handful of top prospects a year. As for elite prospects, that’s a whole different matter but our odds are better today than ever before.

In the last few yrs some blue chip elite level talent have come out of Nigeria in Osihmen, Boniface, Frederick, Akinsanmiro and a couple others. I remain optimistic about the future.

[marutimon]

Victor Osimhen, and maybe soon Victor Boniface. Behind them Bassey, Lookman.