Super Eagles and Werder Bremen striker Victor Boniface has publicly credited award-winning Nigerian singer Teni the Entertainer for standing by him through the most difficult period of his football career, following months of injury and surgery that threatened to derail his season entirely.
Boniface, 25, underwent surgery on 10 January after suffering severe cartilage damage during a Bundesliga match in December 2025. The procedure, carried out by renowned surgeon Dr Christian Fink in Innsbruck, Austria, followed months of persistent knee pain that eventually forced him to cut short a difficult loan spell at Werder Bremen. He had previously admitted to putting on a ‘fake smile’ while playing through the injury.
In a post on his official X account, the striker singled out Teni, whose real name is Teniola Apata, for the warmth she showed during his recovery. ‘After my surgery, I know how many times Teni Entertainer call to check on me. Respect’, he wrote.
Teni is one of Nigeria’s most recognisable music stars, known for hit songs including ‘Case’, ‘Uyo Meyo’ and ‘Billionaire’. She rose to prominence after ‘Fargin’ in 2017 and won Rookie of the Year at the Headies and Best New Artist at the Soundcity MVP Awards in 2018. In 2022, she was awarded the Member of the Order of the Niger for her contributions to Nigerian music and culture.
Boniface’s recovery has since entered a more encouraging phase. He returned to the bench for Bremen’s one-all Bundesliga draw against VfB Stuttgart on 26 April, his first matchday squad appearance in more than three months, though he remained an unused substitute. Manager Daniel Thioune has spoken of a ‘fitness deficit’ that the club is carefully managing.
The striker is expected to feature from the bench in Bremen’s final two league matches against TSG Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund. The club currently sit 15th in the Bundesliga table and require just one more point from their remaining games to secure top-flight survival.
Boniface first made his name in Germany during Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten title-winning season under Xabi Alonso in 2023/24, contributing 14 goals and eight assists as the club completed an invincible domestic campaign, and he won the Rookie of The Season award. Recurring injuries have since slowed his progress, but with rehabilitation behind him, the striker will hope his final appearances of the season mark the start of a genuine comeback.
