President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau (MON), has paid glowing tribute to Ahmed Musa following the former Super Eagles captain’s official retirement from international football.
Gusau described Musa as a towering figure for Nigeria, praising both his on-field impact and leadership qualities off it.
“Ahmed Musa was a rock for Nigeria, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. He was a charismatic leader and an amazing patriot who gave his all at all times whenever he was called upon,” Gusau said.
“The Nigeria Football Federation joins other individuals and entities within Nigeria and globally to celebrate a man whose simplicity and humility, aside from his commitment and zeal to win for Nigeria, remain virtues that should be embraced by upcoming and even established players of our time.”
Musa bows out as Nigeria’s record goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup, with four goals across two tournaments in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018. He formally ends his international career just months after taking up the role of General Manager of Nigeria Premier Football League side Kano Pillars.
A key member of the 2013 AFCON-winning Super Eagles, Musa also claimed bronze in 2019 and silver in 2023 at Africa’s flagship tournament. He represented Nigeria at U-20, U-23 and senior levels and retires as the most-capped Super Eagles player of all time, with 111 appearances.
Musa’s legacy remains one of dedication, leadership and patriotism, marking him out as one of the most influential figures in the history of Nigerian football.
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.
