Victor Osimhen: Banza rated Africa's best finisher as CIES omits Super Eagles star from top 100 list

Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen is the conspicuous omission as CIES Football Observatory Post raised eyebrows with its coveted top 100 list of best finishers. 

CIES confirmed a list of the world’s best finishers, with Simon Banza taking the spotlight as Africa’s best. 

The 24-year-old was the hero last season as SSC Napoli ended a 33-year wait for the Serie A title. 

Osimhen netted 26 goals to emerge as top scorer and best player. Still, according to a CIES report, the highly-rated striker is not among the best finishers in the world. 

In the report, CIES and Wyscouts highlighted the proficiency of football players in terms of shots attempted and goals scored in the 2023/2024 season. 

The list of 100 players takes into account 65 leagues across the world, with attention on the best finishers.

Leading the CIES list is Bayern Munich superstar, Harry Kane, who is clear of others with an impressive 1.57 goals per game and a conversion rate of 37%. 

Following the Englishman is Mexico’s Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord, with an average of 1.4 goals per game and a 33% conversion rate. 

Coming third on the list is Congolese midfielder, Banza, who sits joint-third with Jude Bellingham. 

Banza, 27, who recently won his first cap for Congo, averages 1.23 goals per game this season for his club, with a conversion rate of 36%.

His impressive record (which has seen him score 11 goals and two assists in 12 appearances) not only sees him rated in the top five in Africa, but higher than Mohamed Salah, who sits 25th on the list with 0.81 goals per game and a conversion rate of 27% and Osimhen, who did not make the list despite scoring six goals in 10 matches this season in the Serie A. 

Others in the top Lautaro Martinez, Olivier Giroud, Erling Haaland, Mateo Cassierra, Vangelis Pavlidis, and Kylian Mbappe.