David: Nigeria’s U-23 star taking Europe by storm
Promise David, the relatively unknown Nigerian U-23 international, has emerged as one of Europe’s most prolific goalscorers this season, outpacing more established compatriot Victor Osimhen in the European Golden Boot race, PETER AKINBO writes
Promise David has taken Belgian football by storm since joining Union Saint-Gilloise last summer, continuing the remarkable scoring form that has seen him net a combined 25 goals across two clubs this season.
This impressive tally places him 6th in Europe’s raw goal rankings, ahead of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, who have 21 and 20 goals respectively.
Osimhen, with 20 goals for Turkish giants Galatasaray, sits joint 8th in the pure goalscoring charts alongside Mbappé, showcasing the Nigerian strikers’ exceptional finishing abilities this season regardless of league coefficients.
When focusing solely on goals scored rather than the weighted coefficient system used in the official European Golden Boot standings, Estonian league’s Alex Tamm leads all scorers with 32 goals, followed by Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres with 28 for Sporting CP, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with 27.
In the official European Golden Boot standings, which apply league coefficients to goal tallies, Salah firmly occupies the top spot with 54 points, Robert Lewandowski holds second place with 46 points from 23 goals for Barcelona, while Harry Kane and Mateo Retegui sit joint-third with 44 points each, having scored 22 goals apiece for Bayern Munich and Atalanta respectively.
Viktor Gyökeres, Ousmane Dembélé, and Haaland share the joint-fourth position with 42 points each despite varying goal returns. Kylian Mbappé follows in fifth place with 40 points from his 20 goals in La Liga.
Further down the standings, David and Osimhen find themselves in 13th and 14th positions respectively, with the Union Saint-Gilloise striker marginally ahead on 30.5 points compared to the Galatasaray forward’s 30 points.
Born on July 3, 2001, to Nigerian parents in Canada, David’s remarkable rise through football’s ranks has been nothing short of meteoric. His journey began at the Toronto FC Academy, where his natural goal-scoring instincts first caught the attention of scouts and coaches alike.
In 2016, David moved to his local club Vaughan Azzurri, where he continued to develop his skills and build the foundation for his professional career. His performances at the youth level soon attracted international interest, with Croatian club Trnje recruiting the promising forward for their youth setup in 2019.
The transition to European football proved beneficial for David’s development, exposing him to different tactical approaches and playing styles. His technical abilities flourished during this period, preparing him for the professional challenges that lay ahead.
David’s professional journey began in earnest when he signed an academy contract with American club Tulsa in September 2021. Though his time in the United States was brief, it served as an important stepping stone in his career progression.
January 2022 marked a significant moment in David’s career as he secured a short-term contract with Maltese club Valletta. Despite the brevity of his stay, David made an unforgettable mark on the club’s season by scoring the crucial goal that propelled Valletta to the 2021/22 Maltese FA Trophy final.
Though Valletta finished as runners-up in the final, David’s contribution had not gone unnoticed. On June 20, 2022, he transferred to another Maltese outfit, Sirens, continuing his European adventure and gaining valuable professional experience.
The most significant leap in David’s career came on February 13, 2023, when he moved to Estonia with Nõmme Kalju. It was in the Meistriliiga that the Nigerian forward truly found his scoring boots, netting an impressive 14 goals and providing 3 assists in just 16 matches during his final season with the club.
David’s prolific form in Estonia caught the attention of Belgian First Division A side Union SG, who secured his signature in July 2024 on a three-year contract with an option for a further year. The step up to one of Europe’s competitive leagues presented a new challenge, but David has embraced it with aplomb.
His debut came as a substitute during the 2024 Belgian Super Cup on July 20, where Union SG emerged as 2–1 victors over Club Brugge. The taste of silverware early in his Belgian adventure set the tone for what has been an impressive season.
David didn’t have to wait long for his first goal in Belgium, finding the net on August 10 against Westerlo. Since then, he has maintained his scoring touch, netting 11 goals in 24 appearances for Union SG, helping the club maintain a strong position in the Belgian top flight.
On the international stage, David’s dual nationality presented him with options. Born in Canada but of Nigerian parentage, he was eligible to represent either nation. In October 2022, he received his first call-up to the Nigeria U23s for a set of 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Tanzania and has made two appearances at that stage.
Currently, he remains uncapped at senior level for Nigeria and Canada but the Canadians appear to be on the verge of snatching this talent from the Super Eagles.
As the season progresses, both David and Osimhen will be looking to add to their impressive goal tallies. For David, in particular, continuing his scoring form could attract attention from even bigger clubs in Europe’s top five leagues.
