Slavia Prague’s Mubarak Suleiman on Tuesday became the first Nigerian teenager to start a UEFA Champions League match since Alex Iwobi achieved the feat at Arsenal against Barcelona in March 2016.
The 19-year-old featured for 85 minutes as Slavia Prague fought back from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, earning their first point in the Champions League this season.
Suleiman’s achievement marks another milestone in his rapid development at the Czech Republic club, where he has continued to impress since joining from Nigerian academy Right2Win in 2025.
The youngster initially featured for Slavia Prague’s academy, where his performances in the UEFA Youth League caught attention. He scored five goals in six appearances in the competition, demonstrating his attacking quality and earning a promotion to the senior team in February 2026.
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He made an immediate impact following his promotion, recording three goals and two assists in just nine appearances for the first team.
Suleiman has maintained his impressive form this season, contributing one goal and one assist in eight matches while operating in the wing-back position.
His progress was rewarded on September 15, when Slavia Prague handed him a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 30, 2031.
Meanwhile, Suleiman was not the only Nigerian to feature for Slavia Prague in Tuesday’s Champions League encounter against Fenerbahce.
Fellow Nigerian Emmanuel Ayaosi, 21, played the entire match and provided an assist, while 22-year-old David Moses also completed the full 90 minutes in midfield.
Samuel Isife, another Nigerian midfielder, was introduced in the 62nd minute, replacing Tomáš Viček. Defender Igoh Ogbu was unavailable for selection as he continues to recover from an injury.
Suleiman’s Champions League start represents another significant step in his development and further highlights the growing presence of Nigerian youngsters on European football’s biggest club stage.
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