Nigeria’s senior men’s national team assistant coach and former Remo Stars manager, Daniel Ogunmodede, popularly known as Ijaball, enjoyed some unforgettable moments during the June international friendly window.
Following Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw, Ogunmodede seized the opportunity to take a memorable photograph with Polish captain and legendary striker Robert Lewandowski.
The special encounters did not end there. After the Super Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Portugal in Leiria, Ogunmodede also met football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Portuguese defenders Nuno Mendes and Nelson Semedo, capturing the moments with photographs.
For a coach who has spent years watching these world-class stars on television, meeting them in person represented a remarkable experience. Ronaldo and Lewandowski are among the most celebrated footballers of their generation, while Mendes continues to establish himself as one of the finest left-backs in modern football.
The excitement and pride on Ogunmodede’s face in the pictures reflected just how much the occasion meant to him—a rare opportunity to share moments with some of the game’s biggest names and create lasting memories on the international stage.
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.
