Alhassan Yusuf – A new Super Eagles star is born

From being overlooked for long by national team selectors to being drafted as a late replacement for injured Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf has in two weeks emerged as a genuine star of the Super Eagles.

His AFCON debut against Equatorial Guinea may have only lasted 68 minutes after injury forced him out, but the 23-year-old Antwerp midfielder has been lavished with praise even on a day the Super Eagles again did not fly.

Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro gushed: “Alhassan showed he deserves to play for the Super Eagles.”

 “Alhassan Yusuf has easily been my best player in the game. Too bad he has to be substituted because of injury. Hope he recovers on time,” @elkrosmediahub saluted on X

“Alhassan Yusuf has a tremendous future ahead of him,” predicted @biolakazeem

His energetic performance earned him comparison with the great Ngolo Kante.

“Nigerian Kante!Alhassan Yusuf,” announced @the_smallie, while @jeff_kashh proclaimed: “This Alhassan Yusuf is giving off Kante vibes, be like antelope e dey everywhere.”

The former IFK Goteborg star got the Super Eagles training camp in Dubai talking on only his first training and when he finally made his long-awaited international debut against Guinea, the team were clear they have got a special present for the AFCON.

“He played with no fear,” remarked a top team official.

“He did very well for a player playing his first game with us.

“He has come to stay.”

Alhassan helped Antwerp to cup and league double in Belgium

Off the pitch, Super Eagles officials said the Kano-born Alhassan is humility personified.

“He is truly simple and easy going, he does not behave like a football star,” another impressed team official said

Alhassan has made a big case that there are a lot more players outside the Super Eagles radar who also deserve their chance with the national team.

His guardian in over 10 years of rejection, setbacks and doubts has been Adam Mouktar Mohammed, who bought him a ticket to the 2017 Gothia Cup in Sweden when the team said he was not good enough.

That will set Alhassan on the journey that took another high on the hallowed pitch of the Alassane Quatarra Stadium on a hot, humid Sunday afternoon.

The Score