By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian international Zaidu Sanusi has been named in FC Porto’s squad for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place in the United States.
Sanusi returns to the squad after an extended injury layoff that kept him sidelined for over eight months last season.
Despite limited appearances during the campaign, the 27-year-old fullback has been included in the Portuguese club’s list for the global tournament.
With two years remaining on his contract, Sanusi has been linked with a potential summer move away from Porto in search of more playing time.
The Club World Cup presents a key opportunity for him to showcase his fitness and attract interest from potential suitors.
FC Porto, former UEFA Champions League winners, have been drawn in a challenging group featuring Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami (USA), Palmeiras (Brazil), and Al Ahly (Egypt).
The expanded FIFA Club World Cup will run from June 15 to July 13, 2025, marking the first time the tournament will be hosted in the U.S.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
