Nigeria’s remarkable scoring legacy in UEFA Europa League finals remained untouched on Wednesday night even after Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans helped Aston Villa defeat SC Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul to win the 2025-26 title, Footynaija reports.
Villa finally ended a 30-year wait for a major trophy with an assured display at the Beşiktaş Stadium, where manager Unai Emery collected a record-extending fifth Europa League crown. But while the Premier League side celebrated a famous European triumph, Nigeria still finished the night holding one of the competition’s most unique records.
Tielemans gave Villa the lead in the 41st minute with a superb volley after a clever short-corner routine. Emiliano Buendía doubled the advantage before half-time with a curling strike from the edge of the box, while Morgan Rogers sealed victory in the 57th minute after turning home Buendía’s dangerous low cross.
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The defeat was a painful one for Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, who is eligible to represent Nigeria internationally, but the Super Eagles still had reason to celebrate after Belgium failed to overtake Nigeria’s Europa League final scoring tally.
According to Opta, Nigerian players have now scored five goals across the last 10 Europa League finals, more than players from any other nation. Belgium moved into second place with four goals after Tielemans’ strike, but Nigeria remain clear at the summit.
Nigeria’s impressive total has been driven by three players. Alex Iwobi scored Arsenal’s only goal in their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the 2019 final in Baku, before Joe Aribo gave Rangers the lead against Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022 final.
The biggest contribution, however, came from Ademola Lookman in Dublin in 2024. The Atalanta forward produced a historic hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen to end the German club’s 51-match unbeaten run and deliver Atalanta’s first European trophy.
Lookman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a single-leg Europa League final and also the first African player to net three goals in a major UEFA club final, a stunning performance that continues to keep Nigeria above Belgium in Europa League final history.
