9jaflaver brings readers the top three Nigerian performers for the year 2017, having considered the influential roles they had played for both club and country.

(3) Odion Ighalo — One of the very shining lights for Nigeria in the 2017 calendar year, the Changchun Yatai striker admirably bore the goalscoring burden for his Chinese side, notching fifteen efforts and seven assists in 27 appearances in the CSL.

The Super Eagles victories against their CAF group opponents were of course, not without his predatory instincts and his goal to open the 4-0 win over Cameroon was vintage illustration of the 28-year old at the peak of his alchemical powers.

(2) Wilfred Ndidi — The Leicester City youngster continuously defied his tender years with his scintillating contributions from deep for the Foxes this year as their remarkable loss of N’golo Kante to Chelsea was quickly forgotten.

Readily the first name on Claude Puel’s team sheet, he has equally garnered the numbers to back up his performances as records continue to tumble in his wake.

Physically imposing and strong in tackling in the middle of the pack, the most valuable U21 African Player was an ever present for the Super Eagles as they effortlessly picked up their World Cup ticket.

(1) Victor Moses — It was never in doubt who the most important Nigerian player for club and country has been this year. Moses, having bedded well in a less-familiar wingback role set about inspiring Antonio Conte’s Chelsea to an unprecedented Premier League title last campaign.

The 27-year old have as well, continued off from where he stopped this season with the Blues riding high in the division table and even though he missed out on the glamorous CAF and BBC individual awards to Mohamed Salah, the crowned Nigerian player of 2017 who top scored for the Super Eagles enroute to world cup qualification is
certainly Nigeria’s unrivaled finest for the year.