Nigeria’s Boniface wins Bundesliga player of the month for August

Victor Boniface, Super Eagles striker, has been named the best player in Germany’s Bundesliga of the month for August.

The winner of the prestigious monthly award was announced in a statement released by the league on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Nigerian beat Harry Kane, Alphonso Davies and Kevin Behrens to the award.

Boniface, who joined Bayer Leverkusen last July, notched two goals and an assist in his first two Bundesliga games. He garnered the highest number of votes from fans to clinch the gong as the best player in the league for the past month.

He was also voted the Bundesliga’s Rookie of the Month — the award for the best-performing new signing in the league.

The achievement made him the second player since Erling Haaland in 2020 to be named the league’s best player and best rookie in the same month.

“The Nigerian registered more shots than any other Bundesliga player in August – 14,” the statement reads.

“On only the second matchday alone, against Gladbach, he fired off 11 attempts on Jonas Omlin’s goal, as many as Harry Kane managed across Matchdays 1 and 2. Boniface’s sheer hard work has left a great impression, too: his 54 challenges contested are the highest in the Bundesliga, while his fierce pressing has helped him win 43 percent of them.”

Boniface debuted for the Super Eagles last week in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification game against Sao Tome, which Nigeria won 6-0.