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Bamidele Yusuf pledges support for grassroots girls’ football development in Nigeria

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Bamidele Yusuf pledges support for grassroots girls’ football development in Nigeria

By Dayo Awoniyi

Serbia-based Nigerian striker Bamidele Isa Yusuf has reaffirmed his commitment to the development of grassroots football in Nigeria, with a particular focus on empowering young girls through the sport.

The Vojvodina FC forward made the pledge following the successful hosting of the 7-Aside Soccer Fiesta, which he sponsored. The event featured cash prizes totaling one million naira, alongside individual rewards for standout participants.

Yusuf, who finished the 2024/25 season with 18 goals and four assists in the Serbian Super Liga, says his motivation to give back stems from a desire to foster long-term growth in Nigerian football, starting at the grassroots level.

“Supporting young talents—especially girls—at the grassroots is vital for the future of Nigerian football,” Yusuf said. “I want to be part of the change that gives them equal opportunities to thrive.”

The 22-year-old striker ranked as the fourth-highest Nigerian goalscorer in Europe last season, behind Victor Osimhen (26 goals), Tolu Arokodare (21), and Ademola Lookman (20). His assist tally also surpassed fellow Nigerian Cyriel Dessers, who recorded two assists alongside 18 goals.

Despite his strong personal form, Yusuf’s club, Vojvodina FC, narrowly missed out on European qualification, finishing sixth in the league and losing to Crvena Zvezda in the Serbian Cup final.

Nevertheless, Yusuf says he remains focused on using his platform to uplift emerging talent in Nigeria, especially young girls who often face limited opportunities in football.

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Samuel Ahmadu
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.
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