Chidera Ejuke is making a significant impact in La Liga, despite his relatively recent arrival and limited game time, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Nigerian forward, who joined Sevilla FC as a free agent from Royal Antwerp, has emerged as the league’s top dribbler, as per ABC.
Since his move to the Nervion club, Ejuke has been given opportunities in all league matches except for the fixture against Las Palmas.
With only 265 minutes played, Ejuke has successfully dribbled past his opponents 17 times, setting him apart as the leading dribbler in La Liga.
This impressive feat puts him ahead of high-profile players such as Real Madrid’s duo of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, as well as Barcelona kidwonder Lamine Yamal.
Mbappé and Yamal, who each have 16 dribbles, and Vinícius, with 13 dribbles, have all played more minutes – 439, 443, and 487, respectively – yet they have not surpassed Ejuke’s dribbling success rate.
Ejuke’s remarkable dribbling performance, averaging a successful dribble every 15 minutes, points to his exceptional ability on the pitch.
Coach García Pimienta and Sevilla FC will hope he maintains this form in their upcoming match against Deportivo Alavés on Friday.
Interestingly, despite his eye-catching displays in Belgium and Spain, Ejuke’s talent has not been recognised by the Nigerian national team.
Coach José Peseiro excluded him from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, a tournament where Nigeria finished with a silver medal.
Finidi George continued this oversight during the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifiers in June.
Interim coach Austin Eguavoen, who had previously given Ejuke his AFCON debut during the 2021 tournament in Cameroon, has also left him out of the squad for recent AFCON qualifiers.
Ejuke, now 26, has featured in eight games for Nigeria, with his last appearance being a 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in 2022.
As Ejuke continues to excel in La Liga, the question remains whether the Nigerian national team will reconsider their stance on the talented winger.