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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| Full name | Ahmed Musa | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 October 1992 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jos, Plateau, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Kano Pillars | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | GBS Academy | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | GBS 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 | 23 | (10) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Nigeria U20 | 6 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Nigeria U23 | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2010– | Nigeria | 111 | (16) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:00, 28 May 2025 (UTC) |
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Ahmed Musa is a famous Nigerian footballer. He was born on October 14, 1992. He plays as a forward or winger. Currently, he plays for Kano Pillars in Nigeria and is also a key player for the Nigerian national team.
Ahmed Musa made history as the first Nigerian to score more than one goal in a FIFA World Cup match. This happened when he scored twice against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also became the first Nigerian to score in two different FIFA World Cup tournaments, scoring two goals against Iceland in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. With 111 games played, he is Nigeria's most experienced player since November 2021. He also helped the Saudi club Al Nassr win the Saudi Premier League and the Saudi Super Cup in 2019.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Ahmed Musa started his football journey at the GBS Football Academy.
Early Career in Nigeria
In 2008, Musa joined JUTH F.C. on loan. He played 18 games and scored four goals. Later, he was loaned to Kano Pillars F.C. for the 2009–10 season. During this time, he scored many important goals, helping Kano Pillars finish second in the league.
Musa held the record for the most goals scored in one season in the Nigeria Premier League. This record stood until November 2011.
Playing in the Netherlands: 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 on October 14, 2010, to officially play.
Just a week after joining, Musa played his first game for VVV-Venlo on October 30. He was fouled in the game, which led to a penalty kick. Experts like Goal.com and IFFHS recognized him as one of the top young football stars to watch in 2011.
In March 2011, Ahmed Musa won the AIT Footballer of the Year award in Nigeria. In April, big clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax showed interest in him. On May 1, 2011, Musa scored two goals against Feyenoord, helping his team avoid being automatically moved down to a lower league.
In August 2011, after playing in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Musa scored two goals in his first game of the new season against AFC Ajax. In September, VVV-Venlo turned down a large offer of €10 million for Musa from a German club.
Moving to Russia: CSKA Moscow
On January 7, 2012, Musa joined the Russian team CSKA Moscow. He quickly became an important player for them.
On September 17, 2014, he scored a goal in a UEFA Champions League match against A.S. Roma. In June 2015, Musa signed a new four-year contract with CSKA. He was one of the top scorers in the 2015–16 Russian Premier League season.
Time in England: Leicester City
On July 8, 2016, Musa moved to Leicester City in England 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 August 13, 2016. His first Premier League goal came on October 22, 2016, in a 3–1 win over Crystal Palace.
Loan Back to CSKA Moscow
On January 30, 2018, Musa returned to CSKA Moscow on loan for the rest of the 2017–18 season.
Playing in Saudi Arabia: Al Nassr
On August 4, 2018, Musa joined the Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr. In October 2020, Al Nassr announced that Musa was leaving the club.
Return to Kano Pillars
On April 13, 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
On July 23, 2021, Musa signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük. After one season, he and the club decided to end his contract.
Sivasspor
On September 2, 2022, Musa joined another Turkish club, Sivasspor, on a free transfer. He signed a two-year deal, but his contract was later ended by mutual agreement.
International Career for Nigeria
In April 2010, Ahmed Musa was called up to the Nigeria national football team for the first time. He helped Nigeria win the 2010 WAFU Nations Cup. He scored a goal against Benin and another important goal against Burkina Faso that sent Nigeria to the finals. However, an ankle injury kept him out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.
On September 5, 2010, at just 17 years old, Musa made his debut for the senior Nigerian team. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Madagascar. He scored his first goal for Nigeria in a friendly match against Kenya in March 2011.
Musa also played for Nigeria's Under-20 team in the 2011 African Youth Championship. He was named the most valuable player after the first game. In August 2011, he played for the Nigeria U20 team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, scoring three goals. FIFA even included him on a list of 10 candidates for the Golden Ball award, given to the best player of the tournament.
Ahmed Musa was part of Nigeria's squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored in the semi-final against Mali. He also played in the final, where Nigeria won their third continental title. He played in five of the team's six matches. He also played in all three of Nigeria's matches at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
After playing in all of Nigeria's qualifying matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Musa was selected for the World Cup squad. He scored two goals in a group stage match against Argentina.
In October 2015, Musa was named captain of the Nigerian team. This decision was later changed in 2016, and he became the Vice Captain.
In May 2018, he was chosen for Nigeria's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On June 22, 2018, Musa scored two goals in a 2–0 victory over Iceland. In June 2019, he became the third most-capped player for Nigeria's national team. He was also part of the Nigerian squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, 2021, and 2023 tournaments. Even though he didn't play much in the 2023 AFCON, his leadership and positive influence on the team were highly praised by the coach and other players.
Personal Life
In April 2017, Ahmed Musa got divorced. On May 23, he married Juliet Ejue in Abuja.
In October 2017, Musa bought a second petrol station in Nigeria, showing his interest in business.
On January 24, 2019, Musa shared the sad news that his mother, Sarah Musa, had passed away after being ill.
Ahmed Musa, who is a Muslim, once wished his instagram followers a Merry Christmas. He posted a picture of his Christian wife next to a Christmas Tree. This led to some discussion among Nigerian Muslims. Musa responded by reminding everyone that in football, people stand united, no matter their background or religion. He encouraged Nigerians to work together for peace and a better future.
Honours
CSKA
- 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
- Africa Cup of Nations: 2013; runner-up: 2023; third place: 2019
- 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
Orders
Images for kids
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Musa with Nigeria against Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
See also
In Spanish: Ahmed Musa para niños
