Dearth of northern players in Super Eagles worsens

Undoubtedly, the northern region in Nigeria is blessed with abundant football talents. However, since the inception of the country’s senior national football team in 1963, the region which houses some of the most gifted players in the round leather game has struggled to feature prominently in the Super Eagles. It is on record that in […]

Undoubtedly, the northern region in Nigeria is blessed with abundant football talents. However, since the inception of the country’s senior national football team in 1963, the region which houses some of the most gifted players in the round leather game has struggled to feature prominently in the Super Eagles.

It is on record that in 61 years, only 13 northerners have played for Nigeria in the AFCON. The 13 most successful Super Eagles players from the north with their appearances in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are Annas Ahmed , Racca Rovers (1978), Shefiu Mohammed, Racca Rovers, Kano (1980), Ibrahim Mohammed and Ali Baba (1984), Abdul Aminu, El-Kanemi Warriors (1990 & 1992).

Others are Garba Lawal (2000, 2002, 2004 &2006), Tijani Babangida (2000 &2002), Sani Kaita (2006 &2010), Ahmed Musa (2013, 2019, 2021,2023), Shehu Abdullahi (2019), Collins Jamilu (2021), Zaidu Sanusi (2021, 2023) and Alhassan Yusuf (2023).

Out of the 13 stars from the north, only Lawal, Babangida, Kaita, Musa and Abdullahi have played for Nigeria at the senior World Cup. While Lawal made his World Cup debut in 1998, and featured at the 2002 edition in Japan/Korea, Babangida was at the 1998 edition in France but was absent at the next edition of the mundial.

Ahmed Musa also played in two editions of the senior World Cup in 2014 and 2018 while Kaita and Abdullahi attended one edition each in 2010 South Africa and 2018 Russia respectively.

Although some northerners like Ahmed ‘Yaro Yaro’ who is a Kano Pillars legend, Dahiru Sadi, Patrick Pascal, Haruna Babangida had stints with the Super Eagles, they didn’t make it to the AFCON or the World Cup in their active days.

When Lawal, Babangida and Kaita exited the stage, fleet-footed attacking winger, Musa stepped in as the most renowned northerner who didn’t only play for the Super Eagles but also captained the team.

So, Musa who started his professional career in Kano Pillars, has remained one of the shining lights in the north, in football. He indeed played for Nigeria at almost all levels. Nigeria’s most capped player has played for the Flying Eagles, the Olympic Eagles and the Super Eagles at the AFCON, Olympics and the senior World Cup. He is also the first Nigerian to score in two World Cups.

Although players like Gambo Mohammed now retired, and Rabiu Ali ‘Pele’ who still plays for Kano Pillars at 43 years, also played for the Super Eagles Team B, they weren’t as successful as their former teammates, Musa and Abdullahi who are yet to announce their official exit from the Super Eagles.

When Musa and Abdullahi’s stars began to dim, other northerners, Jamilu Collins and Zaidu Sanusi came into the Super Eagles. With their arrival, fear of a sudden disappearance of northern players in the Super Eagles was banished at least momentarily.

Collins, who hails from Kaduna State in the north-west, made his debut for Nigeria in a friendly against Liberia in 2018 and was handed his first competitive debut by Coach Gernot Rohr in the AFCON qualifying fixture against Libya in Uyo.

Even when Eguavoen took over from Rohr on a cater-taker basis, Collins was included in the 28-man squad for the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.

When he made his last AFCON appearance in 2021, Collins was a player of Bundesliga side, SC Padeborn 07, but he has since dropped to the English Championship where he now plies his trade with Cardiff City.

Collins’ inability to remain in the topflight has no doubt reduced his Super Eagles chances. After the 2021 AFCON, he has not featured for the national team again and there are no indications that he will bounce back.

On his part, Zaidu who hails from Kebbi State made his debut for the Super Eagles on October 9, 2020, in a 1–0 friendly defeat against Algeria in Klagenfurtthe and played at the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The left-back attacking winger currently plays for Portuguese giants, FC Porto but injuries have continued to hamper his performances for the Super Eagles.

As a matter of fact, he literally played through a nagging muscle injury for Nigeria at the 2023 AFCON. It is, therefore, not surprising that he wasn’t invited for the Super Eagles’ 2025 AFCON and 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa, Benin Republic and Rwanda.

So, barring a miraculous recovery, the two young left-back defenders who tried to make an impression in the Super Eagles, may not be seen in the green-white-green colours again.

In a related development, the remaining northerner in the team at the moment, Alhassan Yusuf, who gate-crashed the 2023 AFCON is also becoming a fringe player in the Super Eagles.

The teenager from Kano was one of the last inclusions in the team when Leicester City defensive midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, was ruled out by injury.

Yusuf made his AFCON debut against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, 2024 which ended in a 1-1 draw. He was substituted off in the 69th minute after sustaining an injury. But before then, he had utilised his time on the field to convince football fans that he merited his place in the team.

However, Yusuf was slowed down by the injury he picked in the opening match as he didn’t play to his full potential in the remaining matches of the 2023 AFCON.

Unfortunately, after the tournament, the young Yusuf who is a product of Tiki-taka and FC Hearts of Kano has not enjoyed the anticipated patronage. He has dropped down the pecking order as he is no longer a sure starter for the Super Eagles.

He could only manage substitute appearances in the 2025 AFCON and 2026 World Cup qualifiers so far prosecuted by the three-time African champions. This is definitely a far cry from what the enthusiastic football fans in the north are expecting from their young prodigy.

Yusuf, who had memorable moments while playing for Royal Antwerp, including appearances in the prestigious UEFA Champions League, shocked many with his recent transfer to the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) with New England Revolution throughout the 2027 season, with a club option for the 2028 season.

The MLS is equally lucrative but it is seen by many as a league suitable for players who are on the verge of retiring from active football. In the past, renowned football players like David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Alessandaro Nesta, Robbie Keane, Tim Cahill, Landon Donovan and Alessandro Del Piero had stints with different MSL clubs when they were about to call time on their illustrious careers.

So, in view of the fact that most Super Eagles coaches prefer to deal with players from the top clubs in Europe, there is apprehension that Yusuf’s chances in the team may be hindered the more by his decision to play in the USA.

A former Super Eagles player from the north who spoke to Weekend Trust on condition of anonymity condemned the player’s handlers for allowing him to leave Europe.

“To be honest with you, I was shocked when a young player like Alhassan Yusuf, who has what it takes to play for big clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City, decided to move to the MLS.

“In fact, it is hard to say exactly what informed that wrong move for such a young talent. Even if money was the motivation, there is more money in European football. I don’t think he was properly guided by his managers,” he said.

As the senior national team prepares for life under a new coach to be appointed by the NFF, there are growing concerns that if Yusuf’s fortunes do not change positively, the north will be left without a single player in the Super Eagles.

Those who are genuinely disturbed by the scarcity of northerners in the Super Eagles are even more worried because it is now difficult to find an outstanding player from the region among the Nigerian players abroad.