Victor Boniface: Bad News for Nigeria As Super Eagles Star Ruled Out for the Rest of the Season
- Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has undergone knee surgery and will miss the rest of the season
- Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen doctors jointly agreed on the operation
- The injury had ruled the Nigerian striker out of AFCON 2025 and will keep him sidelined for months
Nigeria have been dealt another setback as Victor Boniface has been ruled out for the rest of the season after Werder Bremen confirmed the striker had undergone knee surgery.
The decision ends any hope of a late comeback and closes the door on his involvement for both club and country in the coming months.
Source: Getty Images
Werder Bremen announced the news on Saturday, January 10, following detailed medical checks carried out in collaboration with doctors from Bayer Leverkusen.
After consultations with a knee specialist in Austria, surgery was agreed as the only option.
Boniface’s surgery confirmed after specialist review
In a statement published on their official website, Werder Bremen confirmed that Boniface had undergone surgery on Saturday, January 10, in Innsbruck, Daily Sport reports.
Source: Getty Images
The operation was performed by Prof. Dr. Christian Fink, a specialist who examined the striker on Friday.
“Forward Victor Boniface will be unavailable to Werder Bremen for the next few months,” the club said, adding that the recommendation for surgery was shared by medical teams at both Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen.
Head of Professional Football at Werder Bremen, Peter Niemeyer, explained that the decision brings clarity for all sides involved.
According to Werder Bremen, Boniface is not expected to feature again this season due to the length of his rehabilitation process.
While the injury is a major blow, the Bundesliga club confirmed that Boniface’s loan deal from Bayer Leverkusen will remain in place until the end of the season.
A tough spell at Werder Bremen
Boniface joined Werder Bremen on loan in the summer but never quite found his rhythm.
Injuries disrupted his time at the club, limiting him to 11 appearances in all competitions. He failed to score and managed just two assists before the knee issue sidelined him.
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AFCON 2025: Nigeria suffer setback as key midfielder misses training ahead of Algeria clash
Boniface missed Bremen’s final two fixtures of 2025 and was unable to train fully in the weeks leading up to the winter break.
The same injury also ruled him out of Nigeria’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, despite initially being named in the provisional list by Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle.
What this means for Nigeria and Boniface
For Nigeria, Boniface’s injury is another reminder of how thin the margin is at the top level.
The 25-year-old has shown his quality in the past, most notably with 22 goals in 42 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, including 14 during their 2023/24 title-winning season, per Bundesliga.
However, injuries have been a recurring theme in his career. Before his move to Leverkusen from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023, Boniface suffered two cruciate ligament tears during his time at Bodø/Glimt.
For now, the season is over for Boniface. The next chapter will depend on how well his rehabilitation goes and whether he can finally put his injury troubles behind him.
Boniface criticised by Bremen coach
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Werder Bremen head coach Horst Steffen expressed clear frustration after Victor Boniface failed to deliver in their 1-1 Bundesliga draw against Mainz.
Following a promising full debut against Union Berlin, expectations were high for the 24-year-old, Nigerian striker, but his performance fell flat at the Weserstadion.
Source: Legit.ng
