The former African Player of the Year burst onto the international scene at the 2015 U17 World Cup, where he powered the Golden Eaglets to victory while claiming both the Golden Boot and the Silver Ball.
Two years later, he made his senior international debut for the three-time African champions and is now just six goals away from equalling Rasheed Yekini’s all-time scoring record for Nigeria.
Impressively, he has been at the heart of the country’s push to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring five times in Nigeria’s last two matches.
Ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash with DR Congo, Flashscore.com asked the captain what makes the former Napoli star stand out from the other strikers he has played alongside in the national team.
"I don't always feel comfortable just singling out players. I mean, you ask me now, so yeah, Victor is a very special player for me," said William Troost-Ekong.
"He's the best forward in the world right now and I can't just put that down to the last goals that he scored over these last two games, because I think consistently, he's brought so much to the team for the last two, three years of him probably being the main forward for Nigeria.
"And also going back to his first camp with us, being in 2019 in the AFCON, he's gained some great experience.
"But he's been the same player who has been so hungry from the start. And I think now, you know, his confidence has grown. He's perfected his skills.
"The actual thing that makes Victor for me as a standout player is his hunger and determination, which is something that he had from day one and probably has been part of his upbringing and who he is as a person.
"So, it's great to have a player like that in the team. He's also growing into an important player and leader in the team.
"And I think, you know, his legacy will be big for Nigeria. But yeah, he needs other players around him. He's not playing alone. I think sometimes that's also forgotten. But yeah, he's done very, very well."
Having navigated the Gabon hurdle, Eric Chelle’s men must now defeat the Leopards to secure a place in next year’s inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico, where two additional teams will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
When asked whether he feels any added responsibility leading his teammates against Sebastien Desabre’s side, he added: "No, nothing changes. You know, for me, it's another important game, another honour to be part of this team. I try to enjoy every moment.
"I don't take anything for granted because you never know how long you will be somewhere. And yeah, I feel like I thrive on the responsibility, but it's shared with my teammates.
"And it's great to see that in this generation now, we've got different leaders and people stepping up.
"I think Wilfred (Ndidi) was a fantastic captain in the game (against Gabon). Now they've just gone a couple of days ago. And like I said, I'm really happy that he's going to be playing on Sunday."
