May 15, (THEWILL) – 23-year-old Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface, has been crowned the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year after an incredible debut season with Bayer Leverkusen. Boniface joined the German club from FK Bodø/Glimt last summer and swiftly established himself as a pivotal player, contributing significantly to Bayer Leverkusen’s historic triumph as Bundesliga champions.
The young forward’s impact has been remarkable, with 13 goals and eight assists thus far. Should Bayer Leverkusen defeat Augsburg in their final league match on Saturday, they will achieve an unprecedented feat by winning the title without a single loss. Boniface’s consistent excellence saw him claim the monthly Rookie award four times during the campaign, culminating in the coveted overall Rookie of the Year accolade.
Boniface took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, expressing his delight and national pride, writing, “9ja (Nigeria) no dey carry last. Thank you guys.” His performances have not gone unnoticed, as he was recently named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season alongside five of his Bayer Leverkusen teammates.
Joining Boniface in the elite squad were Granit Xhaka, Florian Wirtz, Alex Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong, and Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala, Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, and VfB Stuttgart’s Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy.
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.