Nigeria has emerged as the leading African country exporting football players to leagues around the world, according to data shared by analytics platform Statisense.
The data, sourced from Insider Monkey, ranks Nigeria ninth globally among the 15 countries that export the most professional footballers.
It also placed Ghana, Belgium and several European nations in the list, while Brazil tops the global list, followed by France, Argentina, England and Spain. Nigeria stands as the highest-ranked African country on the table.
The ranking is a reference to the country’s reputation as a major source of football talent, with players active across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
Nigerian footballers are currently represented in top leagues such as the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga and French Ligue 1, as well as in emerging markets in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
While the country is currently participating in the African cup of nations, AFCON in Morocco, its position on the list is a progress of its steady pipeline of players developed through local academies, grassroots clubs and secondary school competitions before moving abroad at a young age.
Many Nigerian players also pass through leagues in Belgium, Croatia and Serbia, which have become popular gateways into Europe’s more competitive divisions.
Recent transfer windows have further reinforced this trend. Several Nigerian internationals and youth prospects have secured moves to European clubs, while others have renewed contracts or earned promotions within their teams.
The Super Eagles remain one of Africa’s most followed national teams, and their run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, concluded in early 2024, helped spotlight both established stars and emerging talents.
That tournament saw Nigerian players attract renewed interest from scouts and clubs seeking athletic, versatile and tactically adaptable footballers, with players such as Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen making waves in the last transfer market.
While Nigeria ranks ninth globally, its position ahead of Ghana, which placed 14th, reinforces its dominance on the African continent.
Meanwhile Ghana, like Nigeria, has a strong football tradition and exports a significant number of players, but Nigeria’s larger population and extensive network of academies give it a wider talent base.
See top 15 list below:
1. Brazil
2. France
3. Argentina
4. England
5. Spain
6. Colombia
7. Germany
8. Croatia
9. Nigeria
10. Serbia
11. Netherlands
12. Portugal
13. Uruguay
14. Ghana
15. Belgium
