Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle is expected to appoint a new captain for the Super Eagles’ Unity Cup opener against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, with regular leaders Wilfred Ndidi and Moses Simon yet to arrive in camp.
Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the role. The shot-stopper is among the longest-serving players in the current squad, having made his senior debut for Nigeria in 2017.
Speaking at the team’s pre-match press conference in London, Uzoho expressed pride at the possibility of leading the national team.
“It’s an honour to have played this long for the national team and to represent my country,” Uzoho said.
“If the coach chooses me, it would be a great privilege to wear the captain’s armband.”
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.
