By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Werder Bremen are sweating over the fitness of Nigerian defender Felix Agu following an ankle injury sustained during their weekend clash with St. Pauli.
The 24-year-old full-back was forced off shortly before half-time after an awkward collision with St. Pauli forward Martijn Kaars, who landed heavily on Agu’s left ankle while attempting a shot. Agu was unable to continue and was immediately substituted.
Club medical staff confirmed that the defender is scheduled to undergo an MRI scan on Monday to assess the extent of the injury.
The scan will determine both his availability for Werder Bremen’s upcoming fixtures and his potential involvement in Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Agu had recently earned a call-up to the Super Eagles squad ahead of critical qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic. Nigeria currently sit third in their qualifying group, trailing leaders Benin Republic and second-placed South Africa by three points.
With the race to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup—set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—hanging in the balance, any absence for Agu would be a blow both to club and country.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
