By Wale Mustapha
Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has praised Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for his outstanding performance in the 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United on Friday.
The Super Eagles vice-captain made his first appearance for the Foxes at Old Trafford since recovering from an ankle injury he sustained against Brighton & Hove Albion in December.
Ndidi, who captained Leicester in the match, was substituted after about an hour of play.
Van Nistelrooy commended the 28-year-old for his leadership and composure throughout the game, highlighting the positive impact Ndidi had on his teammates.
“You saw how he played, the way he lifted the team both on and off the ball,” the Dutch coach said in an interview with Leicester City Mercury.
“His performance was exceptional, but it’s also his leadership that stood out. Not only did he wear the captain’s armband, but the way he led the team, demanded the best from his teammates, communicated, and prevented situations from escalating – it was impressive.”
Van Nistelrooy believes that Ndidi’s influence will be crucial for Leicester as they move forward in their campaign.
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.
