Ranking the Top 5 most decorated Super Eagles players of all time

While Nigerian footballers seek greener pastures in an attempt to bolster their playing careers by winning titles, not many succeed in dominating the football space.

For some success come easy at one place, for many others, the sojourn for even greener pastures must continue.

Pulse Sports Nigeria brings you the top 5 Super Eagles players who have won the most trophies from their playing careers.

Finidi George won all of his major awards while playing for Dutch team Ajax over the course of three seasons from 1993 to 1996 to place fifth on the list of the most decorated Super Eagles players of all time.

The accomplished winger amassed nearly 10 major trophies throughout his playing days in Netherlands, before moving to Spain, and England. 

Finidi is one of a select group of Nigerian superstars to have won the UEFA Champions League, having done so with Ajax in 1995. There, he also won three Dutch Eredivisie titles, two Dutch Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, one Europa Pokal, and one UEFA Super Cup.

On the domestic front, Finidi played a significant role in the Super Eagles squad that won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1994.

Finidi’s Trophy Cabinet:

Ajax: Eredivisie (3) - 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96; Johan Cruijff Shield (2) - 1994, 1995, UEFA Champions League (1) - 1994/95, UEFA Super Cup (1) - 1995, Intercontinental Cup (1) - 1996

Nigeria: African Cup of Nations 1994.

One of Nigeria's best strikers of all time, Martins had a distinguished career that saw him play in seven different countries for 10 different club sides.

The clinical forward started his trophy haul in 2005 with Inter Milan, helping them to the Italian Cup, before helping them win the league and cup double the following year.

He won the UEFA Intertoto Cup after he moved to England to join Newcastle United, and then, later moved to Russia where he won the Russian Cup twice with Rubin Kazan and the Russian Super Cup once.

On his return to England, he won the English League Cup with Birmingham City.

While playing with Seattle Sounders in the USA, Martins spurred them to one US Open Cup, a Supporters Shield title.

At the twilight of his career, he won the Chinese FA Cup with Shanghai Shenhua to come in at joint-third on the list of Super Eagles players with the most trophies.

Obafemi Martins’ Trophy Cabinet:

Inter Milan: Serie A (1) - 2005/06; Coppa Italia (2) 2004/05, 2005/06; Italian Supercoppa (1) - 2005

Newcastle United: Intertoto Cup (1) - 2006

Rubin Kazan: Russian Cup (1) - 2011/12; Russian Super Cup (1) - 2012

Birmingham City: English League Cup (1) - 2010/11

Seattle Sounders: US Open Cup (1) - 2013/14; MLS Supporters Shield (1) - 2014

Shanghai Shenhua: Chinese FA Cup (1) - 2016/17

Former captain of the Super Eagles and midfielder John Mikel Obi, is another Nigerian footballer with a highly decorated playing career.

The brilliant midfielder won a total of 11 titles playing for teams in China, Turkey, England, China, and Norway.

Mikel Obi's most successful spell came while playing for Chelsea where he won two Premier League titles, three English FA cups, one English League Cup, one English Super Cup, and one UEFA Europa League trophy.

Mikel is one of the very few elite Nigerian footballers to have won the famous UEFA Champions League trophy, doing so with Chelsea’s historic 2012 squad.

Additionally, Mikel won the Turkish Cup with Trabzonspor in 2020

He also played a significant role in the Nigerian squad that won the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to guarantee his legend as being in the Top 3 of the most decorated Super Eagles players of all time.

Mikel’s Trophy Cabinet:

Chelsea: Premier League (2) - 2009/10, 2014/15; FA Cup (3) - 2006/07, 2008/09, 2011/12; English League Cup (1) - 2006/07; UEFA Champions League (1) - 2011/12; UEFA Europa League (1) - 2012/13, Community Shield (1) - 2012/13

Trabzonspor: Turkish Cup (1) - 2019/20

Nigeria: African Cup of Nations 2013

Although his distinguished career saw him become a star in the United States, United Arab Emirates, England, and Turkey, Daniel Amokachi excelled the most in Belgium, winning more than half a dozen domestic championships.

Known for his large build and all-around playing style, Dan 'The Bull' Amokachi helped Club Brugge bulldoze their opponents to win the Belgian Pro League twice, the Belgian Cup once, and the Belgian Super Cup five times.

In 1995, Amokachi helped Everton win the English FA Cup and the English Super Cup.

During his time in Turkey, the Super Eagles forward helped Besiktas win the Turkish Cup once, and also won one Turkish Super Cup. 

Amokachi goes down in history as one of the Super Eagles with the most trophies after playing a significant role when the Super Eagles lifted the African Cup of Nations in 1994 and the Olympic football team that won gold in Atlanta in 1996.

Amokachi’s Trophy Cabinet: 

Club Brugge: Belgian Pro League (2) - 1989/1990, 1991/92; Belgian Cup (1) - 1991; Belgian Super Cup (5) - 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995.

Everton: FA Cup (1) - 1994/95, Charity Shield (1) - 1995

Besiktas: Turkish Cup (1) - 1997/98, Turkish Super Cup (1) - 1997/98

Nigeria: African Cup of Nations 1994, Olympic Games gold medal 1996.

Nwankwo ‘Papilo’ Kanu is the most decorated Super Eagles player of all time with 16 titles in total.

Over the course of his brilliant football career, Kanu played for prominent European club sides such as Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan, and Arsenal. He won over a dozen significant trophies across Europe in his heydays.

His successes on the club scene started in 1993 when he won the Nigerian league with Iwuanyawu Nationale (now Heartland FC) before proceeding to win one UEFA Champions League title, three Dutch Eredivisie titles, one Dutch Super Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup with his first European team, Ajax.

Another spell of massive club success came at Arsenal where Kanu won two Premier League titles, three English FA Cups, and one English Super Cup, before adding another English FA Cup to his cabinet, with Portsmouth.

Asides from leading Nigeria's U-23 team to a historic football gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the lanky forward helped Nigeria win the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup as a youngster.

To date, Kanu remains the only Nigerian player to have won the African Footballer of the Year Award twice, in 1996 and 1999.

Kanu’s Trophy Cabinet: 

Iwuanyanwu Nationale: Nigerian League (1) - 1992/93

Ajax: Eredivisie (3) - 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96; UEFA Champions League (1) - 1995; UEFA Super Cup (1) - 1995; Intercontinental Cup (1) - 1995

Inter Milan: UEFA Cup (1) - 1998

Arsenal: Premier League (2) - 2001/02, 2003/04, FA Cup (2) - 2002, 2003, Community Shield (1) - 1999

Portsmouth: FA Cup (1) - 2008

Nigeria: FIFA U-17 World Cup 1993; Olympic Games gold medal 1996