By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria striker Cyriel Dessers says he is unfazed by the challenge of adapting to life in Greece and is confident that Panathinaikos have the quality to compete strongly this season.
The 30-year-old forward, who sealed a deadline-day transfer from Rangers, joined up with the Athens-based club after international duty with Nigeria. Speaking to Sportal, he expressed excitement about his new adventure and optimism about the team’s prospects.
“It’s good to finally be here with my teammates and wearing this beautiful jersey,” Dessers said. “I signed, then went to the national team for ten days, so it has been busy. But I am happy to finally get started.”
Panathinaikos endured a shaky start to the campaign that led to the dismissal of head coach Rui Vitória, but Dessers believes the squad has what it takes to turn the corner.
“The start in the Championship was not easy, but after just one week I can see the quality of the team,” he explained.
“Football is not only about quality — sometimes you need luck or small changes — but I’m sure we will play good games this season. It just takes one moment, one click, and everything will go our way.”
Despite joining after the international break, Dessers has wasted no time making an impact. He has already scored four goals, including a hat-trick, underscoring both his sharpness in front of goal and his determination to succeed in Greece.
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.
