Victor Osimhen has been named among the world’s most prolific international goalscorers of the current decade alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

The Super Eagles striker made the podium for the Top Scorers of National Teams in the third decade of the 21st century (2021-2030) rankings, placing him in elite company with some of football’s biggest names.

Osimhen currently sits joint 14th on the list with Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, with both players recording 27 international goals since 2021.

The achievement highlights the Galatasaray forward’s elite consistency and places him firmly among the most prolific finishers in world football during the period under review.

A breakdown of his numbers shows steady production across the decade. He scored five goals in 2021, repeated that total in 2022 and 2023, added three in 2024, and exploded for nine goals in 2025, his most productive year yet.

At the summit of the IFFHS rankings is Norway’s Erling Haaland, who has scored 49 international goals since 2021, ahead of England captain Harry Kane on 46 and Argentina legend Lionel Messi on 44.

Cristiano Ronaldo follows closely with 41 goals for Portugal, while France’s Kylian Mbappe has 39. Also featuring prominently are the Netherlands’ Memphis Depay and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi on 34 each, Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Senegal’s Sadio Mane on 32, and Son Heung-min on 28 for South Korea.

Beyond the decade statistics, Osimhen’s overall impact for Nigeria continues to grow. Since making his Super Eagles debut in 2017, he has scored 35 goals in 51 appearances, establishing himself as the country’s second-highest goalscorer of all time.

Now Nigeria’s vice-captain, the 27-year-old has already overtaken greats such as Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Segun Odegbami, Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche. Only the legendary Rashidi Yekini remains ahead of him, by just two goals.

In 2025, Osimhen was the joint-fifth highest scorer worldwide in all competitions with a total of 46 goals for both his club and country. This made him the top African scorer of the year and represented the highest single-year tally for an African player since 2019.

The 2023 African Footballer of the Year has so far collected two AFCON bronze medals and one silver, but the continental title continues to elude him. With the 2027 tournament set to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Osimhen will be eager to turn individual milestones into international glory for Nigeria. (The PUNCH)

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