AIK Block Zadok Yohanna’s Super Eagles Debut Over Injury Concerns

Swedish top-flight club AIK Fotboll have officially confirmed that Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna will miss the upcoming Unity Cup in London despite earning his first-ever invitation to the Super Eagles squad.

In a statement released on the club’s official platforms, AIK explained that the young winger is currently undergoing the final phase of his rehabilitation programme and will remain in Sweden instead of joining the Nigerian national team for the invitational tournament scheduled for May 26 to May 30.

The Swedish side praised Yohanna for his national team recognition but stressed that his recovery and importance to the club influenced the decision.

“AIK Football is proud of Zadok Yohanna who has been selected for the Nigerian national team for their participation in the Unity Cup in London. However, Zadok is in an important final stage of his rehabilitation and the club has therefore decided not to release him on national team duty this time,” the club stated.

AIK also highlighted the winger’s growing influence within the squad following his impressive performances in the Allsvenskan this season.

“AIK Football is happy and proud that Zadok Yohanna has been selected for the Nigerian national team for the Unity Cup, which will be played in London between May 26-30, 2026. The decision not to let him travel to London is based partly on the fact that he is in rehabilitation, but also on sporting reasons, as Zadok is an important player for AIK Football.

“We look forward to seeing Zadok represent the Nigerian national team in the future.”

The development represents a setback for Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle, who had included Yohanna in his squad as part of plans to strengthen Nigeria’s attacking options ahead of preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

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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