Nigeria’s Chukwueze Wins Best African Player In La Liga

Samuel Chukwueze has won the La Liga Best African Player for the 2022/2023 season following a great campaign with Villarreal. Chukwueze played 37 matches this season, starting 27 of them, and scored six league goals with a brace against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on April 8, 2023.

“Samuel is now enjoying his well-deserved award, after being voted by more than 30,000 fans and 26 journalists from the continent, ahead of other top African players such as Yassine Bono, Iñaki Williams, and Youssef En-Nesyri, among others,” Villarreal wrote about the Nigerian.

He received the award after the game against Atlético de Madrid over the weekend.

“I feel so happy to win this award,” he told La Liga’s website. “I’ve worked very hard this season, but I want to thank my teammates for making it possible. Without them this wouldn’t have been possible for me… and the coach [Quique Setién] too. When the coach believes in you, and gives you the confidence to play and enjoy yourself, it really motivates you.

“But I think I can still do more,” he noted. “I want to continue working hard. I’m still young, so I’m still learning. This is just the beginning.”

In all competitions this season, Chukwueze scored 13 goals and had 11 assists, the first time he would be hitting double digits for goals and assists in a term.

His great showing this term has attracted interest from the likes of Real Madrid and a host of clubs in the English Premier League.