Omonia Nicosia: A Champion Team from Cyprus

It may not be the most high-profile European championship. But the performance is still impressive. On Saturday, May 2, Omonia Nicosia was crowned champion of Cyprus, with four matchdays still to play. The team has a 16-point lead over AEK Larnaca (77 points to 61) and cannot be caught.

The Cypriot club owes its title in part to its attacking duo. On one side, Moroccan international Ryan Mmaee, the league’s top scorer with 23 goals in 27 matches. On the other, Cape Verdean player Willy Semedo, who has scored 17 goals in 27 matches.

Two Different Paths

Both players are having the best seasons of their careers. For 28-year-old Ryan Mmaee, it’s a rebirth after tough seasons at Stoke in England, following successful spells at Limassol (Cyprus) and Ferencvaros (Turkey). Meanwhile, 32-year-old Willy Semedo is in his third season with Omonia, where he shows improvement every year. Previously, he played for Pafos (Cyprus) and Grenoble, including in Ligue 2.

Yet, the stakes are different for the two forwards: while Willy Semedo is set to play in the 2026 World Cup with Cape Verde, where he is a key attacking threat, Ryan Mmaee, absent from the 2025 AFCON, must convince his coach Mohamed Ouahbi to select him, despite having only 12 caps (4 goals) so far. With competition from Brahim Diaz, Younes El-Kaabi, and Soufiane Rahimi, the task won’t be easy.

Other African Players of Omonia

Omonia Nicosia also had other African players contributing to their title win: Nigerian international goalkeeper Francis Uzoho (five matches played), Malian captain Senou Coulibaly (25 matches), Senegalese defender Alpha Dionkou (21 matches), and South African striker Mihlali Mayambela (two matches).