Ahmed Musa facts for kids
Musa training with Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 14 October 1992 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jos, Plateau, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Winger | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Kano Pillars | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | GBS Football Academy | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | GBS Football Academy | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | → JUTH (loan) | 18 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | → Kano Pillars (loan) | 25 | (18) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | VVV-Venlo | 37 | (8) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | CSKA Moscow | 125 | (42) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Leicester City | 21 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2018 | → CSKA Moscow (loan) | 10 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Al-Nassr | 50 | (9) | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Kano Pillars | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Fatih Karagümrük | 34 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Sivasspor | 19 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2024– | Kano Pillars | 10 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Nigeria U20 | 6 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Nigeria U23 | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2010– | Nigeria | 110 | (18) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Ahmed Musa (born 14 October 1992) is a professional footballer from Nigeria. He plays as a forward or winger. Currently, he plays for Kano Pillars in the NPFL. He also plays for the Nigeria national football team.
Ahmed Musa made history as the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match. He scored two goals against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is also the first Nigerian to score in two different FIFA World Cups. He scored another two goals against Iceland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With 108 games played, he is Nigeria's most capped player since November 2021. He helped the Saudi club Al Nassr win the Saudi Premier League and the 2019 Saudi Super Cup in 2019.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: Ahmed Musa's Journey
Ahmed Musa started his football journey at the GBS Football Academy.
Starting in Nigeria: Early Success
In 2008, Musa was loaned to JUTH F.C.. He played 18 games and scored four goals. Later, he was loaned to Kano Pillars F.C. for the 2009–10 season. He scored many important goals, helping Pillars finish second.
Musa held the record for the most goals scored in one season in the Nigeria Premier League. This record stood until November 2011.
Moving to Europe: VVV-Venlo
In 2010, Musa moved to the Dutch club VVV-Venlo. He was only 17, so he had to wait until his 18th birthday to play. He officially joined the team on 14 October 2010.
Less than a week later, Musa played his first game for VVV-Venlo. He was fouled and earned a penalty kick. Many experts saw him as one of the top young football stars to watch in 2011. He also won the AIT Footballer of the Year award in Nigeria in March 2011.
In April 2011, clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax showed interest in Musa. On 1 May 2011, Musa scored two goals against Feyenoord. This helped his team avoid being automatically moved down to a lower league. In August 2011, he scored two more goals against AFC Ajax.
Joining CSKA Moscow: A Big Step
On 7 January 2012, Musa signed with the Russian team CSKA Moscow. He scored a goal in a UEFA Champions League match in September 2014. In June 2015, he signed a new contract with CSKA. He was one of the top scorers in the 2015–16 Russian Premier League season.
Playing in England: Leicester City
On 8 July 2016, Musa moved to Leicester City for a club record fee. He scored his first goals for the club in a friendly game against Barcelona. He made his Premier League debut on 13 August 2016. His first Premier League goal came on 22 October 2016 against Crystal Palace.
Returning to CSKA Moscow on Loan
On 30 January 2018, Musa went back to CSKA Moscow on a loan deal. He played there for the rest of the 2017–18 season.
Playing in Saudi Arabia: Al Nassr
On 4 August 2018, Musa joined the Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr. In October 2020, Al Nassr announced that Musa was leaving the club.
Back to Nigeria: Kano Pillars Again
On 13 April 2021, Musa rejoined his former Nigerian club Kano Pillars. He played for them until the end of the 2020–21 season.
Playing in Turkey: Fatih Karagümrük and Sivasspor
On 23 July 2021, Musa signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük. After one season, he left the club.
On 2 September 2022, Musa joined another Turkish club, Sivasspor. He signed a two-year deal. His contract ended by mutual agreement.
International Career: Playing for Nigeria
In April 2010, Ahmed Musa was called up to the Nigeria national football team. This was before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He had helped Nigeria win the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup. He scored a goal against Benin in that tournament. He also scored a crucial goal against Burkina Faso. However, an ankle injury kept him out of the World Cup squad.
On 5 September 2010, at age 17, Musa made his debut for Nigeria's senior team. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Madagascar. He scored his first goal for Nigeria in a friendly game against Kenya in March 2011.
In August 2011, Musa played for Nigeria's U20 team in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. He scored three goals in five matches. FIFA even included him on a list of 10 candidates for the Golden Ball award. This award goes to the best player of the tournament.
Musa was part of Nigeria's squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored in the semi-final against Mali. Nigeria went on to win their third continental title. He also played in all three matches at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
He was chosen for Nigeria's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals in a group stage match against Argentina.
In October 2015, Musa became the captain of the Nigerian team. However, this decision was changed in 2016. Mikel John Obi became captain, and Musa became Vice Captain.
In May 2018, he was named in Nigeria's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He scored two goals in a 2–0 win against Iceland. In June 2019, he became the third most capped player for Nigeria. He played in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also part of the Nigerian squad for the 2021 and 2023 tournaments. Even when he didn't play much, his leadership was important to the team.
Personal Life and Values
Ahmed Musa is a Muslim. In October 2017, he bought a second petrol station in Nigeria. On 24 January 2019, he shared the sad news of his mother's passing.
Musa has spoken about unity. He once wished his followers a Merry Christmas. He posted a picture of his Christian wife next to a Christmas tree. When some people criticized this, Musa reminded everyone that in football, people stand united. He said that tribe and religion do not matter. He asked Nigerians to work together for peace and a brighter future.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| VVV-Venlo | 2010–11 | Eredivisie | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | 27 | 7 | |
| 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 3 | |||
| Total | 37 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | 42 | 10 | |||
| CSKA Moscow | 2011–12 | RPL | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | RPL | 28 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 15 | ||
| 2013–14 | RPL | 26 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 9 | |
| 2014–15 | RPL | 30 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 11 | |
| 2015–16 | RPL | 29 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 18 | |
| Total | 124 | 42 | 15 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 167 | 55 | ||
| Leicester City | 2016–17 | Premier League | 21 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 21 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 5 | ||
| CSKA Moscow (loan) | 2017–18 | RPL | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 7 |
| Al Nassr | 2018–19 | SPL | 24 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 10 |
| 2019–20 | SPL | 24 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 4 | |
| 2020–21 | SPL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 62 | 14 | ||
| Kano Pillars | 2020–21 | NPL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Fatih Karagümrük | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 31 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 34 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 37 | 4 | ||||
| Sivasspor | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Total | 19 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 303 | 69 | 38 | 16 | 40 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 393 | 96 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 17 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 109 | 16 | |
- Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Musa goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 March 2011 | National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria |  Kenya |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 16 June 2012 | U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Nigeria |  Rwanda |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 3 | 13 October 2012 | U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Nigeria |  Liberia |
2–0 | 6–1 | ||
| 4 | 6 February 2013 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  Mali |
4–0 | 4–1 | 2013 African Cup of Nations | |
| 5 | 5 June 2013 | Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Kenya | Kenya |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 6 | 25 June 2014 | Estádio Beira-Rio, Praia de Belas, Brazil |  Argentina |
1–1 | 2–3 | 2014 FIFA World Cup | |
| 7 | 2–2 | ||||||
| 8 | 15 October 2014 | National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria |  Sudan |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 9 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 10 | 28 March 2015 | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa |  South Africa |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | |
| 11 | 8 September 2015 | Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Nigeria |  Niger |
1–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 12 | 22 June 2018 | Volgograd Arena, Volgograd, Russia |  Iceland |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup | |
| 13 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 14 | 8 September 2018 | Stade Linité, Victoria, Seychelles |  Seychelles |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 15 | 16 October 2018 | Stade Taïeb Mhiri, Sfax, Tunisia |  Libya |
2–0 | 3–2 | ||
| 16 | 13 November 2021 | Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier, Morocco | Liberia |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours and Awards
CSKA Moscow
- Russian Premier League: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16
- Russian Cup: 2012–13
- Russian Super Cup: 2013, 2014
Al-Nassr
- Saudi Pro League: 2018–19
- Saudi Super Cup: 2019
Nigeria U20
- African Youth Championship: 2011
Nigeria National Team
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2013 (Winner); 2023 (Runner-up); 2019 (Third place)
- WAFU Nations Cup: 2010
Individual Awards
- Nigeria Premier League Top Scorer: 2009–10
- In the list of 33 best football players of the championship of Russia: 2012–13
- Russian Cup Top Scorer: 2012–13
- CAF Team of the Year: 2014
National Orders
Member of the Order of the Niger- Officer of the Order of the Niger
See Also
In Spanish: Ahmed Musa para niños
Images for kids
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Musa training with Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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Musa playing for CSKA Moscow in 2012
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Musa (right) playing for Leicester City in a league match against Chelsea
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Musa with Nigeria in 2013
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Musa with Nigeria against Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
