By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian midfielder Abdullahi Ibrahim Alhassan, popularly known as Mu’azzam, has signed a three-year contract with Portuguese third-division side Lusitânia Futebol Clube. The deal will keep him at the club until June 2028.
Born on November 3, 1996, in Kano, Nigeria, Alhassan brings experience and versatility to his new team, having played professionally in Nigeria, Austria, Belgium, and Portugal.
Alhassan began his football journey at F.C. Heart Academy before rising to prominence with Wikki Tourists in 2016.
He later joined Akwa United, where his standout performances earned him a call-up to Nigeria’s U-20 national team.
In 2017, he moved to Europe, signing a loan deal with Austrian side FK Austria Wien, and later secured a transfer to Portuguese club CD Nacional in 2018.
Most recently, Alhassan played for Leixões SC in Portugal’s Liga Portugal 2, where he continued to develop his game and showcase his midfield qualities.
Internationally, the 28-year-old has represented Nigeria at youth levels, including the U-17 and U-20 teams. He was part of the Nigerian squad that won the CAF U-20 Championship in 2015.
Alhassan is expected to bring leadership, technical ability, and experience to Lusitânia FC as the club eyes promotion in the coming seasons.
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.
