Olatunji, Urhoghide join Messi in MLS Team of the Week as duo drive clubs to playoffs

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigerian duo Victor Olatunji and Osaze Urhoghide have been named in Major League Soccer’s Team of the Matchday alongside global icon Lionel Messi, following standout performances that helped their respective clubs clinch spots in the 2025 MLS playoffs.

Olatunji, who stars for Real Salt Lake, delivered a blistering performance with a first-half brace in a dramatic 2–2 draw against St. Louis CITY SC. The 25-year-old forward’s goals came within the opening 30 minutes and were instrumental in securing Salt Lake’s fifth consecutive playoff appearance.

The brace—his first in MLS—highlighted Olatunji’s rapid adaptation to the league since joining earlier this year. In just eight appearances, he has scored four goals, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Utah as RSL prepare for a playoff clash against the Portland Timbers.

At the other end of the pitch, Urhoghide made his mark for FC Dallas with a commanding display in their 2–1 away win over Vancouver Whitecaps. The 25-year-old defender opened the scoring with a powerful header, ending Vancouver’s six-match home unbeaten streak and sealing a postseason berth for Dallas under first-year head coach Eric Quill.

The former Sheffield Wednesday centre-back has been a model of consistency since arriving in MLS in 2024, with his aerial dominance and leadership earning him a maiden Team of the Matchday nod.

Joining the Nigerians in the week’s elite XI is Messi, who continued his remarkable run with a hat trick and an assist in Inter Miami’s 5–2 rout of Nashville. The Argentine legend closed the regular season with a league-high 48 goal contributions—just one short of Carlos Vela’s all-time MLS single-season record.

The inclusion of Olatunji and Urhoghide alongside Messi not only marks a personal milestone for the two Nigerian internationals, but also reflects the increasing impact of Nigerian talent in North America’s top-flight league.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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