- Nigerian striker, Tolu Arokodare, scored 20 league goals to win Belgium’s 2024/25 Ebony Shoe Award for best African player
- He joins five other Nigerian legends, including Onuachu and Amokachi, in receiving the accolade
- Arokodare made his Super Eagles debut in 2025 during World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe
Super Eagles forward Tolu Arokodare has been named the winner of the 2024/25 Ebony Shoe Award, an annual prize given to the best African or African-origin player in the Belgian Pro League.
The 24-year-old KRC Genk striker earned the honour following a stellar season in which he scored 20 goals, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League this campaign.
Arokodare played a pivotal role in helping Genk finish top of the regular season standings, although the club’s title hopes were later dashed during the championship play-offs.
With this recognition, Arokodare becomes the sixth Nigerian player to win the prestigious award, following in the footsteps of: Paul Onuachu (2021), Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba, Godwin Okpara and Celestine Babayaro.
Tolu Arokodare's origin
Born in Festac Town, Lagos, Arokodare made his international debut for the Nigerian national team in 2025, coming on as a substitute for Victor Osimhen during a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda. He also featured in a 1–1 draw against Zimbabwe shortly after.
Tolu Arokodare: Profiling the rising Nigerian star
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier profiled Tolu Arokodare, a 24-year-old Nigerian striker plying his trade with KRC Genk in Belgium, who is one of Nigeria’s most in-form strikers.
The prolific forward, in red-hot form this season, dreams of joining forces with Nigerian stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in the national team setup. Arokodare’s impressive run has seen him net 13 goals in 20 league matches and 14 in all competitions.
His latest heroics include a brace against Royal Antwerp, proving his attacking prowess and staking a claim for a Super Eagles call-up. He currently leads Nigerian players in top-flight European leagues, outshining Osimhen of Napoli, who has 10 goals, and Lookman of Atalanta, with nine.
