The race for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Golden Boot often dominates the headlines, however for Ikorodu City FC forward Ayomide Arumala, personal accolades take a back seat for collective success.
Arumala has recorded 12 goals and two assists in 30 league appearances and has the experience duo of Rangers International striker Godwin Obaje and Emeka Obioma of Abia Warriors breathing down his neck.
Obaje and Obioma are on 11 goals apiece but Arumala is unfazed, adding that he is only focused on helping his club finish as high as possible.
”I just want to enjoy the remaining games of the season,”Arumala said. “I am not targeting any number of goals but I just want to help my team do well so that we can finish the season very well.”
For me, it is a game at a time. In football anything can happen, so it is still an open race.”
Arumala knows he is in a race with experienced campaigners but is not under any kind of pressure by that.
- Read more: NPFL Top Scorers Battle For Golden Boot
- Read more: Rangers International Striker Targets NPFL Title, Top Scorer Prize
The winger is also happy to be mentioned among some of the NPFL elite players who have scored goals this season.
”I am not under pressure at all. I just want to keep things going. Like I said I just want to enjoy the rest of the season and help my team,” he added.
”There are a lot of experienced players among the top scorers and I am happy to be among that list. I will be happy to see my team finish in the top-three because that will be a big achievement.”
Arumala joined Ikorodu City on August 2025 and is playing in his first season in the NPFL.
The winger could become Ikorodu City’s record top scorer in a single NPFL season if gets one more goal, which will put him ahead of Shola Adelani who netted 12 times before moving abroad.