According to CIES Football Observatory, Super Eagles and Bayer Leverkusen forward, Victor Boniface, has been ranked 14 on the list of Europe’s best U-23 dribblers.
Boniface joined Bayer Leverkusen for €20 million from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise last transfer window but has blossomed into one of the most dreaded strikers in Europe.
Since his summer move, Boniface has been the most exciting youngster in the Bundesliga, picking up the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month awards for August and September.
In just nine games the 22-year-old already has 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) and is currently among the league’s top scorers.
The new data revealed that there is more to Boniface than scoring goals.
The CIES says the data is calculated from league matches and is in relation to the success rate of the dribbles “as well as the sporting level of the matches played (as a percentage deviation from the overall average)”.
Only players who have featured in at least 450 minutes in the current campaign are included.
Boniface has played a total of 998 minutes across all competitions and had 58 successful dribbles in his nine Bundesliga appearances (that’s a total of 782 minutes) this season, averaging 4.5 every 90 minutes.
At the European Big-5 league level, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal tops the list and is ahead of Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Luca Koleosho (Burnley), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) and Girona’s Sávio Moreira.
Also in the Top 10 notably are Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Buyako Saka (Arsenal) and Frosinone’s young Argentinean talent Matías Soulé (on loan from Juventus).
Boniface is Leverkusen’s highest-rated player at 8.09 (Whoscored) and the third-best in the top flight.
The youngster’s average shot per game of 5.9 is the best in the division, while only Serhou Guirassy (4), Jonas Wind (4), and Harry Kane (3) have claimed more Player of the Match awards than Boniface (2).
Boniface won the Bundesliga Player of the Month award in August and came close to winning it again in September.
