By Monsurah Olatunji
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has paid tribute to Nigerian international Samuel Chukwueze in celebration of his 26th birthday, drawing notable comparisons between the Super Eagles winger and Argentine legend Lionel Messi.
In a post shared on social media, CAF highlighted a standout solo goal scored by Chukwueze during a 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Rwanda.
The video showed the AC Milan forward navigating past multiple defenders with flair and composure, sparking comparisons to Messi’s trademark runs.
Although Nigeria lost the match 2-1, Chukwueze’s moment of brilliance stood out as a testament to his technical ability and creative flair, further solidifying his reputation as one of Africa’s most skillful attackers.
The birthday tribute was echoed by messages of congratulations from Chukwueze’s Super Eagles teammates and his club, AC Milan.
The forward has also been included in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming Unity Cup, underlining his continued importance to the national team setup.
Chukwueze has been a consistent presence for Nigeria since making his senior debut in 2018 and remains a key figure as the Super Eagles prepare for future international competitions.
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.
