By Dayo Awoniyi
Former Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo has etched his name into Saudi Pro League history, becoming Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer in the competition with 73 goals.
The 34-year-old forward, who had stints with Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab and Al-Hilal, is now ranked ninth on the league’s all-time scorers’ chart, underlining his status as one of Africa’s most prolific exports to the Middle East.
Ighalo’s time in Saudi Arabia was marked by consistency and clinical finishing.
He rose to prominence at Al-Shabab before securing a high-profile move to Al-Hilal, where his goals powered the Riyadh giants to domestic and continental success. His spell at Al-Wehda further reinforced his scoring pedigree.
No other Nigerian has matched Ighalo’s output in the Saudi topflight, surpassing the contributions of compatriots such as Ahmed Musa and Obafemi Martins.
From his memorable loan spell at Manchester United to becoming a household name in Riyadh, Ighalo’s career has crossed borders and leagues, and his record now stands as a benchmark for the next generation of Nigerian and African strikers eyeing success in Asia.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
