By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria international Wilfred Ndidi has been appointed vice-captain of Turkish giants Beşiktaş, just months after joining the club from Leicester City.
The decision was announced following a strategic leadership reshuffle approved by club president Serdal Adalı and the board of directors, in consultation with the coaching staff. The move aims to enhance on-field authority and leadership from players in pivotal positions.
As part of the changes, Turkish midfielder Orkun Kökçü has been named team captain, while Ndidi assumes the role of second captain. The club expressed gratitude to former captains Necip Uysal and Mert Günok for their service, acknowledging their contributions and professionalism.
Beşiktaş management cited the need for “greater in-game influence” as a key reason for the transition, with leadership roles now entrusted to players expected to be consistently active and vocal on the pitch.
Ndidi brings a wealth of experience to the role, having captained Leicester City in the Premier League and the Nigerian national team on several occasions. Most recently, he wore the armband in Nigeria’s 4–0 victory over Benin Republic—a crucial World Cup qualifier that secured the Super Eagles a place in the CAF playoffs.
The 28-year-old has quickly established himself as a leader at Beşiktaş since arriving during the summer transfer window and is seen as a key figure in the club’s ambitions for domestic and European success.
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.
