Since the early 1990s, the Bundesliga has consistently showcased Nigerian football talent, featuring stars like Jay Jay Okocha, Michael Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba, and more recently, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Boniface and Tella played pivotal roles in Bayer Leverkusen’s remarkable run of 51 unbeaten matches across all European competitions, culminating in clinching both the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal, although they narrowly missed out in the UEFA Europa League final against Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta.
This summer, Victor Boniface transferred to Werder Bremen and made his debut against Bayern Munich, entering the match in the 61st minute.
Watching the game unfold, I noticed that when the Nigerian international came on, Vincent Kompany’s team was already leading by two goals. Shortly after, Harry Kane added a third for Bayern.
In the 86th minute, Boniface appeared to have netted his first goal for Bremen, but the celebration was cut short by an offside call. Moments later, a young player caught my eye as he skillfully bypassed two defenders and contributed to Bayern’s fourth goal-his name was Wisdom Mike.
His performance was captivating, and I immediately sensed his Nigerian heritage. Making his debut in the 84th minute, this teenager became the second youngest player ever to appear for Bayern Munich.
Introducing Bayern Munich’s Rising Star: Wisdom Mike
Wisdom Okpako Mike was born on September 24, 2004, in Munich, Germany. His football journey began at MSV Duisburg’s youth setup in 2019 before he swiftly moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach’s academy, a club with five Bundesliga titles to its name.
Bayern Munich agreed to pay €300,000 to acquire 13-year-old striker Wisdom Mike from Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he was set to join the U-15 squad. @plettigoal reports. #Bayern
Gladbach’s director Roland Virkus criticized the transfer, calling such deals detrimental to German football and labeling them as “distasteful.” @rponline
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 24, 2022
In 2022, Bayern Munich secured Mike’s signature from Gladbach for €300,000, a move that sparked controversy with Gladbach’s management expressing disapproval.
Since joining Bayern, the 17-year-old has flourished, tallying 17 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances for the U-17 squad. Additionally, he has contributed five goals and one assist in eight matches for the U-19 team.
Primarily deployed as a left winger, Mike’s versatility allows him to operate effectively on the right flank or as a central striker. His talents have also earned him caps for Germany’s U-15, U-16, and U-17 national teams.
Despite representing Germany at youth levels, Mike remains eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents. Whether he will choose to don the Super Eagles jersey in the future remains to be seen.
0 Comments