PulseSports30: Ekong, Sadiq get low ranking as Ikorodu City star is rewarded

PulseSports30 makes a return for the fourth year, recognising the 30 best-performing Nigerian footballers from the 2024/2025 football season.

A non-discriminatory annual ranking, PulseSports30 considers footballers of Nigerian heritage who performed excellently either in Africa, Asia, Europe, North/South America, or Oceania.

Over the next six days, we will reveal a batch of five players who made our list until we get to number one. 

We launch this year's ranking by revealing players ranked between 30-26.

At No. 30 is Victor Olatunji, 25, who emerged as a standout forward for Czech giants Sparta Prague during the 2024/2025 season. 

He scored 12 goals and contributed 2 assists across all competitions, including an impressive four in a memorable UEFA Champions League campaign. 

Olatunji’s contributions helped Sparta Prague to a fourth-place finish in the Czech First League, marking a breakthrough season for the Nigerian striker. 

He has firmly established himself as one of Nigeria’s rising stars and the latest Victor from Nigeria, making waves in European football.

Largely unused in the first half of the season by Imanol Alguacil, Umar Sadiq secured a loan move to a struggling Valencia—in the thick of a relegation battle—in January.

Sadiq went on to score six goals for Los Che in the second half of the season, and five of those goals earned the Valencian team six points. 

Those points were crucial to Valencia avoiding their first drop in 39 years, as they finished the season on 46 points, exactly six points more than relegated Leganes. 

Shola Adelani comes in at No. 28, as he was instrumental in Ikorodu City's Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) debut season, scoring 12 goals and providing 2 assists. 

His impressive form was key to the Lagos-based club's strong performance, as the NPFL newcomers ended the season in fourth place with 56 points, with Adelani proving a consistent goal-scoring threat.

At just 18 years of age, Shola Adelani has shown that he has plenty of potential, and he is definitely one of Nigeria’s rising stars to keep an eye on.

Nathan Tella’s 2024-25 season with Bayer Leverkusen was a rollercoaster. The versatile forward was initially frustrated after tallying just 82 Bundesliga minutes by October; however, he battled his way into Xabi Alonso’s starting lineup for the second half of the season. 

Tella’s standout moment came in the DFB-Pokal, scoring the decisive header against Bayern Munich. 

The 25-year-old finished the season with four goals and five assists, and certainly merits his inclusion in the top 30.

Ekong brought his wealth of experience to his debut season at Al-Kholood, featuring in 35 games across all competitions this season, starting all 23 in the league.

Adding to his defensive solidity, Ekong scored 3 goals and provided 1 assist across all competitions, while receiving 3 yellow cards. These contributions were vital in key matches, with his goals important during Al-Kholood's fight against relegation, finishing 9th with 40 points.

For Nigeria, Ekong remained a key figure as the Super Eagles qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). However, he missed the team’s participation as they won the Unity Cup, but he is expected to lead their charge to qualify for the World Cup next year.