Cyriel Dessers finished as the Europa Conference League top scorer.

The Nigerian scored ten goals for Feyenoord to take the accolade ahead of AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham by one.

Dessers, a Nigerian international however, becomes the first player to win the maiden golden shoe award of the tournament.

In addition, the 27-year-old assisted two goals to make it 12-goal contribution in the 13 matches he played.

He also ended the tournament with most shots on target (18) and second distance covered by any player.

Despite the individual performance, Dessers was on the losing side in the final of the competition as his Feyenoord lost 1-0 to Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma on Wednesday.

Dessers played the entire minutes of the final in Tirana, but was caged by the determined Giallorossi defense.

This was Feyenoord’s longest-ever season – they played 54 competitive games, which included 19 in the Europa Conference League (including qualifiers).

Their previous record was 51 in 2001/02, when they won the UEFA Cup.

2021/22 Europa Conference League top scorers :

10: Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord)
9: Tammy Abraham (Roma)
6: Yira Sor (Slavia Praha)
6: Ola Solbakken (Bodø/Glimt)
6: Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord)
5: Arthur Cabral (Basel)
5: Gaëtan Laborde (Rennes)
5: Amahl Pellegrino (Bodø/Glimt)
5: Nicolò Zaniolo (Roma)

Smalling had Dessers in his Pocket

Chris Smalling clashes with Cyriel Dessers during the UEFA Conference League final match between AS Roma and Feyenoord. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Dutch football reporter Derek Brookman, said Cyriel Dessers failed to get the better of Chris Smalling in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.

All eyes were on Dessers who came into the final against the Giallorossi with ten goals, however the Nigerian failed to deliver when it mattered.

Dessers fired blank as Feyenoord lost the final by a Niccolo Zaniolo, first half goal.

Speaking after the final whistle, Derek Brookman, who covers Feyenoord’s games, said other players couldn’t step in when it appeared that Dessers had lost the battle to Smalling.

“Feyenoord’s talisman in this competition and the overall top scorer, Cyriel Dessers was extremely well marshalled by Chris Smalling.

” The big Englishman won most of the duels, didn’t even give the Feyenoord forward the space to function as a target man and – crucially – denied him a clear sight of goal again and again.”

” No one else managed to step up from the Feyenoord ranks to take over goal scoring duties,” He said .

With the defeat, Feyenoord have now gone 21 years without a European title.