Where does the birthday boy rank among the Toffees' all-time Super Eagles stars?
Henry Onyekuru
We begin with Onyekuru, who never played for Everton due to work-visa issues, despite spending two years on the club's books.
He joined the People’s Club on the back of a prolific spell with KAS Eupen, and impressed on loan at Anderlecht and Galatasaray, even though injuries affected his progress.
He subsequently departed Goodison Park for AS Monaco, and is currently with Greek giants Olympiakos.
Victor Anichebe
Like Onyekuru, Anichebe also struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Born in Lagos, he moved to Liverpool as a baby, and broke into the senior team in 2006 after coming through the club’s academy.
He would go on to play 131 league games for the Toffees—and make 11 Nigeria appearances—but a series of fitness issues meant he never truly realised his potential.
Big Vic went on to feature for West Bromwich and Sunderland before concluding his career in China.
Alex Iwobi
The Super Eagles star left his boyhood club Arsenal for Everton on transfer deadline day in 2019, making late headlines following an engrossing window to become the latest Nigerian to sign for the Toffees.
Iwobi follows in a long line of Super Eagles heroes to have joined the Merseysiders, but is in danger of making unwanted history as the School of Science move perilously close to relegation.
Despite some fine performances of late, the birthday boy is still to truly win over the Goodison faithful.
Joseph Yobo
The Super Eagles centurion—and Africa Cup of Nations-winning campaign in 2013—Yobo was an instant hit at Everton after signing from Olympique de Marseille, initially on loan, in 2002.
He was a key figure in David Moyes’s fine side for seven years, forming a fine partnership with Joleon Lescott—among others—and becoming the first African player to captain the club.
He subsequently moved onto Fenerbahce, and then Norwich City, and represented Nigeria at three World Cups.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu
An underrated goalscorer, The Yak managed 96 strikes with various different English clubs.
After spells with Portsmouth and Middlesbrough, he enjoyed four seasons with Everton, scoring 25 in 82 in the league during that period.
He’s Nigeria’s third highest scorer of all time, after Rashidi Yekini and Segun Odegbami, although his time with the national side is arguably best remembered for his horror miss against South Korea at the 2010 World Cup.
Daniel Amokachi
A legend with both Everton and Nigeria, Amokachi’s time with the Toffees was brief, but he was influential in their FA Cup success in 1995—scoring twice in the semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
He’d win the Turkish Cup with Besiktas three years later, having initially featured for Club Brugge after moving to Europe from his homeland.
The attacker—and former Nigeria assistant coach—was a member of Nigeria’s Golden Generation of 1994, winning the Afcon, playing in the World Cup, and going on to clinch an Olympic gold two years later.