Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has been named the Best African Player in the Belgian top flight, winning the prestigious Ebony Shoe award for 2025.
The 24-year-old, who plays for KRC Genk, clinched the prize on Monday night at the African Awards ceremony held at the Tangla Hotel in Brussels. The award honours the best footballer of African origin in Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League.
Arokodare beat fellow Nigerian Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), DR Congo’s Noah Sadiki, Canada’s Promise David (both of Union Saint-Gilloise), and Genk teammate Zakaria El Ouahdi (Morocco) to win the award.
With 20 league goals and six assists this season, Arokodare is currently second on the top scorers’ chart and has also netted twice in the Belgian Cup. His strong performances under coach Thorsten Fink have made him a key player for Genk.
He becomes the sixth Nigerian to win the Ebony Shoe, joining past Super Eagles stars like Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba, Godwin Okpara, Celestine Babayaro, and Paul Onuachu, who last won it in 2021.
Genk congratulated Arokodare, saying, “The entire Genk family is extremely proud of this achievement,” and expressed hope he could still emerge as the league’s top scorer with two games to go.
Arokodare made his Super Eagles debut in March 2025 during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
