November 21, (THEWILL) – Leverkusen’s forward, Victor Boniface, has emerged as a top contender for the Emerging Player of the Year honour at the upcoming 2023 Globe Soccer Awards. The prestigious award was claimed in 2022 by compatriot Victor Osimhen for his excellent performances with Serie A champions SSC Napoli.
This time around, Boniface, a key player since his move from Royale Union SG to Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, will contend with 25 other players for the coveted prize. The 22-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable season at Bay Arena, tallying 11 goals and 6 assists in 16 appearances across various competitions.
His consistent brilliance earned him the Bundesliga Player of the Month title for August and the Rookie of the Month award for three consecutive months. Additionally, his standout Europa League performances, which saw him claim the top scorer award, have underlined his talent and attracted interest from teams across Europe.
Among the top contenders Boniface faces for the award are Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Cesare Casadei, Rasmus Højlund, Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham. Others are Alejandro Balde, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Jamal Musiala, Evan Ferguson, Joško Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, and Xavi Simons.
While unable to guide his national team to victories in recent World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, the Nigerian star will aim to lead his Leverkusen teammates to triumph in their upcoming away fixture against Werder Bremen.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.