Werder Bremen coach Horst Steffen has commended Nigerian striker Victor Boniface for his commitment and positive influence at the club, despite a modest start to life in the Bundesliga this season.
Speaking after Bremen’s recent clash against Bayern Munich, Steffen described the 24-year-old loanee from Bayer Leverkusen as “likeable, personable, and approachable,” adding that the striker has quickly blended into the squad.
“I’ve come to know him as a very likeable person; he’s very personable, approachable, and dedicated to the team. We laugh a lot together; I think it’s nice when a player has such a sense of humour and shows such joy. He fits right into our group,” Steffen said in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Boniface, who joined Bremen this summer after a difficult, injury-plagued season at Leverkusen, has so far made three substitute appearances, providing an assist in Bremen’s 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, he struggled in the 3-0 defeat to Freiburg and had a goal disallowed in last weekend’s tie against Bayern.
Steffen admitted the Nigerian striker is still working towards peak form, stressing the importance of giving him more game time. “You can already see that he is getting better and better in his stride. He scored against Bayern, but it was unfortunately offside. But he’ll keep on trying,” the coach said via Kicker.
The coach added that the club remains patient and confident in Boniface’s abilities. “It’s clear, we need him and have to get him into shape to be at his best. In my opinion, he’s just not there yet. Accordingly, we’re continuing to work on it. We’re very happy with it – and he knows it.”
Off the pitch, Boniface has also attracted attention after a controversial Snapchat post drew criticism in Nigeria. The post, however, gained international spotlight when Canadian rapper Drake reacted to it and later gifted the forward a branded OVO bag.
Before his loan move, Boniface scored 22 goals in 42 league games over two seasons at Leverkusen, despite recurrent injuries. His stint at Bremen is now seen as a chance to rediscover top form and potentially secure a recall to the Super Eagles ahead of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
