November 9, (THEWILL) – Alex Iwobi leads the Nigerian contingent with 329 Premier League appearances, ahead of Shola Ameobi (298), Nwankwo Kanu (273), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (252) and John Obi Mikel (249).
The Premier League has been a fertile ground for Nigerian players since the division’s inception in 1992 with a total of 61 Super Eagles players representing various clubs in England.
The likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay Jay Okocha, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Mikel Obi, Shola Ameobi, Obafemi Martins, Efan Ekoku, Celestine Babayaro, Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi, among others, are flying the Nigerian flag high in the Premier League.
In this piece, We are looking at the top five Nigerian players with the most appearances in the Premier League.
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Alex Iwobi
Last week, Alex Iwobi overtook Mohammed Salah as the second most-capped African player in the English Premier League history following his 329th appearance in the Division in Fulham’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
The former Arsenal player is the Nigerian player with the most appearances in the Premier League since making his debut for Arsenal in 2019.
He has established himself as Nigeria’s most consistent performer in Premier League history in terms of appearances.
Iwobi started his Premier League career at Arsenal, where he progressed through the club’s academy before breaking into the first team under Arsene Wenger.
He made his debut against Swansea City in October 2015 and gradually became an important member of Arsenal’s attacking setup. He made 100 league appearances for the Gunners before joining Everton in 2019. He made 123 appearances for Everton before joining Fulham in 2024.
The Super Eagles star has made 106 appearances for Fulham so far in the Premier League.
He became the fifth Premier League player ever to make 100 appearances for three different clubs in the Premier League’s history following in the footsteps of James Milner, Gareth Bale, Rory Delap and Gary Speed.
Iwobi will be targeting the Kolo Toure’s record of 353, which is the highest of any African player in the Premier League history.
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Shola Ameobi: Newcastle United and Crystal Palace (298 Appearances)
For several years, Shola Ameobi held the record for the most Premier League appearances by a Nigerian player before Alex Iwobi eventually surpassed him.
He moved to England as a child and progressed through Newcastle’s youth system before making his senior debut in 2000.
He made 298 appearances in the competition, scoring 43 goals and providing 20 assists.
He spent the majority of his professional career at Newcastle United, where he became a familiar and popular figure among supporters. Ameobi played European football with Newcastle, featuring in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
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Nwankwo Kanu: Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth (273 Appearances)
Kanu arrived in England in 1999 after winning the UEFA Champions League with Ajax and quickly became an important member of Arsenal’s squad.
He made 273 Premier League appearances, scoring 54 goals and providing 29 assists during spells with Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.
He was part of Arsenal’s historic 2003/04 Invincibles squad, which won the Premier League title unbeaten.
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Kanu also won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his time with the Gunners.
One of his most unforgettable performances came in February 1999, when he scored a remarkable hat-trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 comeback victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Kanu’s 273 appearances and 54 goals place him among the most accomplished Nigerian players to have featured in the competition. He won a total of five trophies with Arsenal before moving on to join West Brom in 2004.
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Yakubu Aiyegbeni: Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers (252 Appearances)
Yakubu was one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League’s history, scoring regularly for the likes of Middlesbrough, Everton, and Blackburn Rovers.
He made 252 appearances in the competition, scoring 95 goals and providing 26 assists.
One of his most memorable Premier League performances came in November 2007, when he scored four goals in Everton’s 7-1 demolition of Sunderland.
He also scored four goals in Portsmouth’s 5-1 victory over Middlesbrough in 2004, becoming one of the few players to record multiple four-goal hauls in Premier League history.
With 95 goals, Yakubu remains the highest-scoring Nigerian player in Premier League history, a record that highlights his remarkable ability in front of goal.
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John Obi Mikel: Chelsea (249 Appearances)
The former Super Eagles captain enjoyed a blissful 10-year spell at Stamford Bridge under different managers, winning numerous trophies to establish his importance to Chelsea.
He made 249 Premier League appearances for the London club between 2006 and 2017, scoring one goal and providing 10 assists.
He played under several managers, including Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte, winning two Premier League titles with Chelsea, in the 2009/10 and 2014/15 seasons. He also won the UEFA Champions League in 2012, the Europa League in 2013 and four FA Cups.
Mikel made a total of 372 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, winning 11 major trophies at Stamford Bridge.
