OptaSuper's Nigerian Team of the season

With leagues around the world coming to an end, I've decided to make an XI of Nigerians who I feel have dazzled the most in their positions this season.

A THREAD!!!

GK. Daniel Akpeyi

The only player on this list plying his trade outside Europe, Akpeyi is the straight forward pick here as no other Nigerian goalkeeper featured as much as he did, with the Kaizer Chiefs stopper making 19 league appearances this season; more than Ikechuckwu

Ezenwa and Francis Uzoho managed togther (5). Now a established regular at the Amakhozi, Uzoho might well be on his way to picking up a South African PSL title

Key Stat: Francis Uzoho kept 9 clean sheets this season; more than any other Nigerian goalkeeper

CB. Troost Ekong

Arguably Nigeria's best defender in Europe's top 5 leagues this season, Ekong has had a decent season; helping Udinese to 11 clean sheets at the time of writing (the same amount as Juventus). They've also conceded 43 goals, 2 less than xGA predicts they should

have while by xPTS, they should be 11th in the table (they currently sit 14th). It's no surprise he is already being linked with a move to the Premier League.

Key Stat: Only 6 players make more clearances per game than Ekong (4.7) in Serie A this season

CB. Chidozie Awaziem

Being nominated as Leganes' player of the season shows you just how well Awaziem has performed this season. Leganes might be at a lowly 19th and likely to get relegated but that cannot be attributed to their defense as they've conceded 49 goals this season,

not too good, but a tally that is better than 7 other clubs in the league. In fact, Leganes' attack has been so poor that only Óscar Rodríguez has scored more goals for them than Omeruo has this season.

Key Stat: Awaziem averages 2.8 tackles and interceptions per 90 this season

CB. Semi Ajayi

It's a massive testament to how good he's been this season that Ajayi is the only player in this XI featuring in a league's second division. His performances for West Brom also saw him earn 4 caps for the Super Eagles this season over Kenneth Omeruo and Awaziem.

With West Brom firmly in position for automatic promotion to the Premier League, success would surely cap off what has been a superb season for the 26 year old

Key Stat: Of the 13 clean sheets West Brom have managed this season, 12 have come with Ajayi in the side.

RWB. Moses Simon

Filling in at our right wing back spot is a man who was arguably Nigeria's best winger in Europe's top 5 leagues; Moses Simon. Simon dazzled in France for Fc Nantes, becoming the main man of a side who finished just 4 points off 5th place Nice. No player scored

more goals (5) or provided more assists (5) than Simon in the entire Nantes squad.

Key Stat: Only 2 Nigerians directly contributed to more goals than Moses Simon (17) in Europe's top 10 leagues

DM. Wilfred Ndidi

No suprises here as this season Wilfred Ndidi finally proved to everyone that not only was he the most underrated midfielder in the English Premier League, he was also the best defensive midfielder in the English top flight. At the time of writing, Leicester

currently occupy 4th spot in the league, no thanks to their destroyer in chief who wins a truly obscene 6.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Key Stat: Wilfred Ndidi wins 4.2 tackles per 90; more than any other player in the English Premier League

CM. Joe Aribo

With the Scottish Premiership coming to an abrupt end due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it's easy to forget just how good Aribo was in 19/20. With 6 goals and 8 assists, Aribo contributed more goals than any other Nigerian midfielder in Europe this season. He also made

4 appearances for the Super Eagles this season scoring 2 goals.

Key Stat: Only one player (James Forrest, 7) registered more assists in the Scottish Premiership than Joe Aribo (5) this season

LWB. Anthony Nwakaeme

Another winger in an unfamiliar wing back role, Nwakaeme can make a case of being Nigeria's most consistent player in Europe in 19/20. At the time of writing, the 31 year old has scored 11 and assisted 7 in the Turkish Super Lig putting Trabzonspor within

touching distance of Istanbul Basaksehir and maybe their first league title since 1983/1984

Key Stat: Only six (6) players have directly contributed to more goals than Nwakaeme (17) in the Turkish Super Lig this season

AM. Chidera Ejuke

Now unless you don't follow Nigerian football then you should know Ejuke has undoubtedly been one of (if not) Nigeria's best attacking player in Europe this season. The Heerenveen winger was in dazzling form, notching 9 goals and 4 assists in the Eredivisie

to firmly announce himself to both the league and Gernot Rohr.

Key Stat: Chidera Ejuke (103) completed more dribbles than any other player in the Eredivisie this season

ST. Cyriel Dessers

Now rather surprisingly with KRC Genk, Cyriel Dessers had a quite unforgettable 19/20 season. With 15 league goals for Heracles Almelo, he was the highest scoring Nigerian in Europe's top 15 leagues. He was also named joint top scorer in the Eredivisie

ahead of the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic and Donyell Malen. No wonder he got a Super Eagles callup in March.

Key Stat: No Nigerian directly contributed to more goals than Cyriel Dessers (24) in all competitions this season

ST. Victor Osimhen

Who else to partner Cyriel Dessers up top than the recently crowned best African player in Ligue 1, Victor Osimhen. With 18 goals in all competitions, he bagged more goals than any other Nigerian in Europe's top 5 leagues while also deservedly sealing his spot

as Super Eagles newly appointed number 9. Lilles' and OptaSuper's player of the season, Victor Osimhen is definitely on his way to superstardom.

Key Stat: Victor Osimhen is only the second Nigerian since Vincent Enyeama in 2014 to win the Marc Vivien Foe award

So that was my Nigerian team of the season but what do you think of the list?

Who should have made the list? And who shouldn't have?

Let me know in the comments below