By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian forward Olakunle Olusegun has expressed delight after making his debut appearance for the Super Eagles in Friday’s 1–1 draw against Russia in an international friendly at the Luzhniki Stadium.
The FC Krasnodar attacker came on as a second-half substitute and made an immediate impact, helping Eric Chellé’s side end Russia’s eight-game winning streak.
Speaking to Russian outlet Championat after the match, the 22-year-old reflected on the significance of earning his first senior cap for Nigeria.
“Debuting for the Nigerian national team in a match against Russia is something special, but for me, every game is special,” Olusegun said.
“You know, it’s not easy to play for the Nigerian national team in such a line-up. A lot of guys want to play – they have this opportunity. It was not easy to debut against Russia, because they are not a small team.”
Olusegun’s call-up and performance mark another step forward for the young forward, who has impressed in the Russian Premier League this season.
The Super Eagles continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with Chellé expected to assess more new talent in the coming months.
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.
