Yakubu Holds On to Super Eagles Dream Despite Slovakian Challenge

Mathew Yakubu, goalkeeper for Slovak side Dukla Banská Bystrica, has reaffirmed his ambition to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, stating that a return to the national squad remains a clear objective.

Yakubu previously earned his first call‑up to the Super Eagles in September 2020 under then‑coach Gernot Rohr, when he featured on the wider list for friendlies against the Ivory Coast and Tunisia.

Now at 26 years old and playing in Slovakia’s second tier, Yakubu is determined to use his club form as the platform for his international aspiration. “I’ve already been in the wider squad before. If we win promotion [with Dukla] maybe I’ll get that chance again,” he said.

He added that he and the club are focused on achieving promotion to the first league and that his clean‑sheet record (just 10 goals conceded in 14 games for the season) underlines his readiness for higher challenges.

Editorial

In the unforgiving landscape of modern football, ambition must often be sustained by context and conviction. Mathew Yakubu’s declaration that he still dreams of representing Nigeria is not simply an aspiration it is a declaration of intent underlined by his pragmatic pathway abroad.

Yakubu’s situation is layered. From Zaria to Slovakia, his journey speaks of unglamorous persistence. He did not arrive through a marquee academy or a prime European route; he carved a niche, adapted to unfamiliar environs, and consolidated his performance under lesser lights. There is value in that it speaks to character, self‑belief, and the quiet architecture of improvement.

His remarks about promotion with Dukla are telling. Because for a player in his position, the trajectory is two‑fold domestic weekly performance, and national opportunity. The Slovak second division may not broadcast to all Nigerian living rooms, and yet from it Yakubu extracts relevance. By leading his club’s numbers and laying claim to consistency, he invites national selectors to look beyond league names.

But the ultimate test is navigation of the gap between aspiration and selection. Nigeria’s goalkeeping department is not short of contenders. His former call‑up under Rohr is proof of recognition but recognition alone does not guarantee the cap. What Yakubu must do now is escalate dominate his environment, demand higher responsibility, and ensure that his narrative is more than “could be” and shifts into “must consider.”

For the Super Eagles and Nigerian football, Yakubu’s story carries implications. It signals that the talent inventory must scan more widely not just within the major leagues but across less populated paths. It suggests that ambition abroad must be matched by performance at home and overseas. And perhaps most importantly, it reminds young players that the goal may remain the same, but the road varies.

In the end, if Yakubu reaches the national stage, it won’t be because he merely dreamed it will be because he did the unseen work. And for Nigerian football watchers, that shift from dreaming to doing is what matters most.

Did You Know?

1. Yakubu first received a Super Eagles call‑up in September 2020, under coach Gernot Rohr, though he did not make his senior debut at that time.
2. He currently plays for Dukla Banská Bystrica in Slovakia’s second division, where he has conceded only 10 goals in 14 matches this season.
3. Before becoming a goalkeeper, his early training included time as a striker he only switched to goalkeeping when his team’s designated keeper didn’t show for a session and the coach asked him into goal.
4. Yakubu is part of a growing cohort of Nigerian footballers building careers in lesser‑publicised European leagues, which increasingly serve as development pipelines to national team recognition.
5. Despite playing outside the top European leagues, Nigerian scouts and analysts have noted his performances, reinforcing that national selection is not strictly limited to those in major leagues.