AFCON Winner Explains Why Boniface Struggles With Super Eagles, Draws Osimhen Comparison
- Victor Boniface has often failed to replicate his club form with Bayer Leverkusen at the Nigeria national team
- The versatile attacker is yet to record any goal for the Super Eagles through his eight appearances so far
- A former Borussia Dortmund forward has explained the reason why the Leverkusen forward struggles with the Nigerian team
Victor Boniface has come under scrutiny for failing to replicate his impressive club form with the Nigeria national team.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward, who has been in stellar form since joining the Bundesliga side, has yet to score in his eight appearances for the Super Eagles.
Boniface faced fresh criticism after missing key chances during Nigeria's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification match against Rwanda, where his struggles contributed to a disappointing draw.
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These criticisms aren’t unwarranted, given his prolific goal-scoring record for Leverkusen, where he’s been netting goals with ease.
However, amidst the growing discontent, former Borussia Dortmund striker, Victor Ikpeba has offered an explanation for why Boniface is finding it difficult to reproduce his club-level performances with the national team.
Ikpeba speaks on Boniface
In an interview with Sports Boom, the 1994 AFCON winner shared his thoughts on why Boniface has struggled to translate his club form to the Nigeria national team.
Ikpeba highlighted the adjustment to new teammates and a different environment as potential factors.
The former Borussia Dortmund forward also compared Boniface's early national team experience to that of Victor Osimhen.
"Sometimes, players need time to adapt to the national team," Ikpeba explained. "International football differs from club football in both style and rhythm. At the club level, you train and play with the same teammates for months, which enhances your performance."
"Victor is still relatively new to the national team and is adjusting to playing with unfamiliar teammates. I believe the goals will come. He came very close to scoring against Rwanda, so he just needs to stay focused, especially with the competition for his position."
Ikpeba also called for the patience of Nigerian supporters.
"Nigerian fans need to be patient; the goals will come. Even Victor Osimhen needed time to settle before consistently scoring for the national team."
When asked if Boniface could potentially displace Nigeria's first-choice striker, Victor Osimhen, Ikpeba remained optimistic.
"I believe Boniface will have his moment to shine. Odion Ighalo was the main striker before, and Osimhen didn’t get much game time at first, but now he’s the key player. Boniface’s opportunity will come, and when it does, he’ll deliver," Ikpeba concluded.
According to data from FotMob, Boniface has been directly involved in 36 goals in his 42 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen.
What Boniface must do to be world-class
Legit.ng in another report detailed how Bayer Leverkusen coach, Xabi Alonso, identified a list of things Boniface could do to become a world-class attacker.
The Spanish tactician likened Boniface to Didier Drogba but hinted that the forward may need to be more aggressive in the opposition area.
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Source: Legit.ng
