The Golden Eaglets, a Nigerian under-17 football team, are one of the most successful young teams in the world. Five times they have won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup and three times they have finished second. On two occasions, the Golden Eaglets have won the African Under-17 Cup of Nations.
Each of Nigeria’s successful under-17 teams had players with extraordinary talent. Some of them went on to become regulars with the Super Eagles.
The following are the top five Nigerian Under-17 players of all time.
1. Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen was the star of the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile. He won the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards at the tournament and also earned himself the CAF Young Player of the Year award in 2015. Osimhen’s 10 goals and two assists propelled Emmanuel Amuneke’s young team to the title. Osimhen holds the record for the highest number of goals scored in a single FIFA Under-17 World Cup tournament.
2. Kelechi Iheanancho
Iheanacho started representing Nigeria at youth levels from the under-13s. However, he made his mark with the Nigerian under-17 team. Iheanacho scored six goals, including one in the final, and managed seven assists at the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World in the United Arab Emirates. The Manu Garba-led team dominated the competition and won convincingly. Iheanancho is now a regular for the Super Eagles, but his exploits at the under-17 level stand out in his footballing career so far.
3. Wilson Oruma
When Nigeria won their second FIFA Under-17 World Cup title in 1993, they were captained by Wilson Oruma. The midfielder was unplayable in the tournament, which Nigeria won. He finished as the tournament’s top goalscorer with 6 goals, and scored the fastest goal in a FIFA Under-17 World Cup final (3rd minute). Oruma spent most of this club career in France, and was also part of the squad that won the Olympic gold medal in 1996.
4. Macauley Chrisantus
The Golden Eaglets clinched their third World Cup title in 2007 after a long 14-year wait. At the heart of their victory was a free-scoring youngster called Macauley Chrisantus. Chrisantus finished the tournament with the Golden Boot, scoring all his seven goals with his right foot. He never made it to the Men’s senior team, but he is definitely one of the best Nigerians players at the under-17 level.
5. Kanu Nwankwo
Many Nigerians fondly remember Kanu Nwankwo’s exploits at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. However, he played in the all-conquering 1993 under-17 Golden Eaglet team, alongside Wilson Oruma. He scored five goals in the tournament. Kanu has enjoyed success with the Super Eagles and is one of the greatest Nigerian players in history.
