Werder Bremen fans are eager to know whether Victor Boniface will keep his place in the starting lineup this weekend but coach Horst Steffen is giving nothing away, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian striker, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, delivered a lively performance in Bremen’s 1–0 win over Union Berlin last week, his first start for the club.
He earned a standing ovation when substituted late on, a sign of how quickly he has captured supporters’ affection. Yet Steffen is cautious about guaranteeing another start against Mainz 05 on Saturday.
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Agu x Boniface x Njinmah
Nigerian stars repping at Bremen pic.twitter.com/zHndOAYkO8
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) September 14, 2025
“He’s a candidate,” the Bremen coach said with a grin as per DeichStube. “It was a good feeling that he was able to give me in that game.”
Steffen added that the forward’s condition remains under observation: “The training week has been completely normal, so I don’t get the feeling that anything has improved or worsened significantly. It will do him good to train week by week and then also accumulate minutes in the games.”
Boniface’s form in training this week has mirrored his upbeat personality. Early in the week, he arrived at the training ground singing and dancing, later sharing laughs with teammates Yukinari Sugawara and others during drills. But when the session turned serious, so did he, matching the team’s tempo and focus in every exercise.
After missing out on a summer transfer to AC Milan, Boniface took time to regain sharpness.
“THE DANCING ASSASSIN”
(The Curious Case of Victor Boniface)Like many young boys in Nigeria, Victor Boniface dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. That dream pushed him to leave his hometown of Akure for Lagos, where he joined Real Sapphire Academy.
His talent quickly… pic.twitter.com/8VooZmKC7F
— SportsDokitor (Odogwu) (@sportsdokitor) August 25, 2025
Sport Bild reported that the 23-year-old had been battling a ‘weight and conditioning crisis,’ but recent weeks have shown encouraging progress. He has now played 190 minutes across all competitions for Bremen, registering one assist. His numbers — 13 sprints per game and a top speed of 31.4 km/h — still trail his Leverkusen best, when he averaged 20 sprints and hit 33 km/h.
“Victor is embracing the challenge with us,” sporting director Clemens Fritz said. “He’s fully committed and giving it his all. It’s in his best interest to show his best version again.”
Whether Steffen rewards that commitment with another start remains to be seen. What’s certain, though, is that Boniface’s blend of spirit, humour, and work ethic has quickly made him one of the most talked-about figures at the Weserstadion.
