Werder Bremen striker Victor Boniface has expressed his frustration over his underwhelming performances with the Super Eagles of Nigeria, admitting that his time with the national team has not gone as he had hoped.
Speaking in a recent interview, the former Union Saint-Gilloise forward revealed that despite his impressive club form in Europe, he feels “unlucky” when it comes to translating those performances into goals for the Super Eagles.
“I would just say… I’m just unlucky with the national team in terms of goalscoring,” Boniface explained. “I know there are a couple of games where I did good, but the scoring goal part is the most important thing in football today.”
“People do not watch football anymore; they only go to Livescore,” he said. “If you score, they think you are Robinho. They do not watch the games. I am sorry for those who think like that.”
“My biggest dream as a footballer was to represent my country, which I have achieved by myself, and I am grateful for it,” he stated. “If it did not go well, it does not mean I am a bad player. It did not go well with the national team, and God knows why, but like I said, I am happy I represented Nigeria, my country.”
Since breaking into the national team setup, Boniface has been regarded as one of Nigeria’s most promising attacking talents — a potential long-term solution for the team’s frontline. However, the goals and standout displays that have defined his club career have so far eluded him on the international stage.
The forward’s strong performances for both Bayer Leverkusen and now Werder Bremen have made him one of Europe’s most admired young strikers, but his goal drought with Nigeria has drawn mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike.
Boniface also acknowledged that the lack of goals has affected public perception of his contributions to the team, despite his efforts in linking up play and pressing high up the pitch.
“It’s not always about scoring, but I understand people judge strikers by goals. I just need to keep pushing and trust that my time will come,” he said.
With World Cup playoff matches approaching, Boniface will be hoping for a turnaround in his international fortunes — and a chance to silence critics by finally finding the back of the net for Nigeria.
