He is now fulfilling his dream by competing in the same tournament.
Boniface reflected on his remarkable journey in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on X this past Friday.
He expressed his excitement about participating in his inaugural Champions League match, which coincided with his team's impressive 4-0 win against Feyenoord on Thursday.
In 2023, Bayer Leverkusen acquired Boniface from Union SG for a transfer fee exceeding €21.7 million.
He said: “From paying 30 naira to watch the Champions League… to playing my first Champions League game. Proud of this moment.”