The Champions League starter has risen from Abuja’s Right2Win Academy to the Super Eagles squad, and could make his debut against Tanzania.
Want our football coverage to show up first?
Add FootballInNigeria as a preferred source and our stories get a "Preferred" badge in your Google Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode results.
Slavia Prague midfielder Mubarak Suleiman says his Super Eagles call up for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania came as a shock, as FootballInNigeria.com.ng reports. The 19-year-old is in Eric Chelle’s 24-man squad for the double-header, which starts in Uyo on Friday.
Suleiman said the camp has been friendlier than he expected, because he feared some of the bigger names might keep their distance. He called his first training session good and said he learned a lot from his new team-mates.
The call-up is the fulfilment of a long wish. Suleiman went for an Under-17 trial in 2021 that did not work out, and he said senior football is “something I’ve been dreaming of”. Readers curious about betting offers can read this Bet9ja bonus code walkthrough.
His family were delighted when he told them. His mother was emotional, and his father, his friends and people in his village celebrated with him.
Suleiman hopes to use any chance he gets on matchday. If he does it well, he said, the coaching crew may call him again.
He came through the Right2Win Academy in Abuja before moving to Slavia Prague, who work with the academy as a partner. At Slavia he stood out in the UEFA Youth League, scoring five goals. Fans following Nigerian talent abroad can see the Bet9ja welcome offer facts.
His senior breakthrough came on February 8, 2026. He scored eight minutes after coming off the bench on his debut in a 4-0 win over Mladá Boleslav, and he went on to help Slavia win the 2025/26 Czech First League.
This season he started in the Champions League against Fenerbahçe on October 20, a 2-2 draw. That made him the first Nigerian teenager to start a Champions League match since Alex Iwobi in 2016. He also set up Mojmír Chytil’s opener in Slavia’s 4-1 win over Artis Brno last Sunday, and reports put him on eight goal contributions this season.
He was first called up in September for the friendly against Russia on October 6, but he withdrew and his debut is still waiting. New Bet9ja users can look up Bet9ja’s YOHAIG newcomer code.
Nigeria need a win in Uyo, and kick-off is at 5:00pm WAT. Could this be the night Suleiman finally gets his first cap?
📌 Did You Know?
- Slavia extended Suleiman’s contract until June 30, 2031, in the autumn.
- Slavia’s partnership with Right2Win Academy began in April 2025.
- Slavia coach Jindřich Trpišovský has said Suleiman can play as an under-forward or as a midfielder.
- He scored his first career brace in a 4-0 MOL Cup win over Zbrojovka Brno.
- Suleiman shares a dressing room with Nigerian team-mates Samuel Kelechi Isife, Emmanuel Ayaosi, Igoh Ogbu and David Moses.
