According to the official website of UEFA, Nigeria is ranked 27th in the number of players who have appeared in the European Cup/UCL Champions League final.
Italy leads the pack with 147 players, followed by Spain (146), Germany (130), France (78) and England (75), while Nigeria are ranked third in Africa with three players behind Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Retired Super Eagles striker, Finidi George was the first Nigerian player to feature in a Champions League final after he started for Ajax Amsterdam against AC Milan in 1995 and was joined by Kanu Nwankwo in the 53rd minute.
The following year, the two players were key members of the Ajax side that lost on penalties to Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Sixteen years later, current Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel helped Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the 2012 UCL Final – making him the third Nigerian to achieve such feat.
Meanwhile, Liverpool were crowned European champions for the sixth time on Saturday as goals from Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Divock Origi gave them a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
