Super Eagles’ red-hot striker, Victor Boniface, has been crowned the 2023/2024 German Bundesliga Rookie of The Season award winner following an extraordinary debut season with Bayer Leverkusen.
Victor Boniface has played a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s impressive run this season since his €20.50 million move from Belgian side Union SG in the summer of 2023.
Despite a setback due to an abductor injury between January and March, the 23-year-old returned extraordinarily, scoring a goal and dishing out another on his comeback.
The Nigeria International has illustrated relentless prowess on the field. He has managed to earn a remarkable record of 20 goals and 10 assists in 32 appearances in all competitions.
He has scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in 22 League games, in the German Bundesliga alone.
Boniface’s outstanding performance in his first 12 League appearances won him the Rookie of the Month award successively from August to November 2023.
His contributions in front of goal have been a major factor in Leverkusen winning the German Bundesliga title for the first time in the club’s history and also pushing for a treble with the addition of the DFB Cup and UEFA Europa League.
The 23-year-old was shortlisted alongside some notable names for the Rookie of The Season award, before the Bundesliga announced the winner via their official Instagram handle.
Boniface won the award ahead of Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen, who has been impressive for Borussia Dortmund since joining in January, RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons who is also on loan from PSG, and Hoffenheim’s frontman Maximilian Beier. The winner was decided by fans’ votes.
Bundesliga announced the winner of the award via Instagram on Wednesday, May 15. They wrote; “And the winner is Victor Boniface.”
“Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface takes home the #BLRookie of the Season award from Sorare after making an instant impact to the Bundesliga – in which he won four Rookie of the Month trophies in a row. Congrats Victor!”
The Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface thanked his Nigerian fanbase after he won the Bundesliga Rookie of The Season award.
The 23-year-old boasted about his fans in a post on X shortly after he was announced the winner, he wrote; “9ja no dey carry last. Thank you, guys.”
The Nigeria-born player, who was also named in the Bundesliga team of the season, has been one of the key parts of Bayer Leverkusen’s push for treble this season.
Bayer Leverkusen could set another phenomenal record for winning the League with an unbeaten record of 34 games, with the German League officially ending on Saturday, May 18.
Currently, Boniface and his teammates have set a European record of 50 games unbeaten and could win a treble with the Europa League final coming up on Wednesday, May 22, against Atalanta in Dublin as well as the DFB Pokal final against FC Kaiserslautern on May 25, 2024.
Boniface could also be in pole position for the African Player of The Year Award alongside compatriot Ademola Lookman who has also been outstanding for Atalanta in the Serie A and Europe.
