- Victor Boniface’s no-look pass dazzles fans during Leverkusen’s 4-0 win over Feyenoord
- Jeremie Frimpong assisted Alejandro Grimaldo for the goal after Boniface’s magic pass
- Florian Wirtz called it Boniface’s “signature move” and praised his extraordinary talent
In a game where Bayer Leverkusen dominated from start to finish, it wasn’t just the scoreline that left fans in awe.
A moment of football artistry from Nigeria's Victor Boniface was the highlight of their 4-0 victory against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League on Thursday. Though he didn’t score, his breathtaking no-look pass, most probably inspired by the great Thierry Henry, had the crowd buzzing.
At the 30th minute, with Leverkusen already up by a goal, Boniface produced a moment of sheer magic. Feinting with his right foot as if to shoot, he then flicked the ball with his left, sending it straight to Jeremie Frimpong. Frimpong, in turn, set up Alejandro Grimaldo, who calmly finished the move, adding to Leverkusen’s lead. The Feyenoord defence had no chance as they were left stunned by the audacity and finesse of Super Eagles forward play.
Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen’s manager, was full of praise for Boniface’s brilliance.
“I had nothing to do with it. That’s his quality and a Boni trick,” Alonso said, clearly in awe of his player’s ingenuity.
It was a move reminiscent of Thierry Henry’s famous pass against Middlesbrough, and Boniface nailed it with style.
His teammates have also commented on the magical moment with Granit Xhaka, Leverkusen’s midfield maestro, acknowledging Boniface’s consistency with such tricks, saying,
“It’s nothing new for us because he does it often in training. If it works, we’re happy. If it doesn’t, he has to keep his actions a bit simpler.”
Florian Wirtz, who was the Man of the Match after netting two goals, couldn’t help but marvel at Boniface’s skill as well,
“That’s his signature move. He’s the best at it in the world of football. He can do extraordinary things with the ball,” Wirtz remarked.
The pass was so good and arguably better than Thiery Henry’s own that even pundits chimed into the discussion. Owen Hargreaves, speaking on TNT Sports, said,
“If he did that in training people would be going mad, but to do that in a game - that’s brilliant.” Pundit Steve McManaman echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Whenever you can get classed alongside Thierry Henry, you are doing the right thing.”
Leverkusen’s 4-0 thrashing of Feyenoord wasn’t just about Boniface’s magic, though. Florian Wirtz’s double and Grimaldo’s clinical finish also showed the German team’s dominance.
A late own goal by Feyenoord’s Timon Wellenreuther added the final touch to a performance that confirmed Leverkusen as serious contenders this season.
Few days after announcing N2m giveaway for fans, Boniface gets fined N44m
Previously, TheRadar reported that Super Eagles and Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, had been hit with a one-match suspension and a $25,000 fine following an incident of unsportsmanlike conduct during last week’s Super Cup match against VfB Stuttgart.
The German Football Association (DFB) decided after Boniface was accused of making an obscene gesture toward Stuttgart players in the post-match celebrations. The timing of the suspension comes just four days after Boniface announced plans for a social media giveaway for his fans on X app, formerly Twitter.
