A youngster who hails from Jigawa State, Usman Muktar, has become the next potential future star to look up to among talents of Northern Nigeria origin, though he currently plays for a youth club in Lagos, Sports247 reports.
The youngster, who looks quite promising, with expectations of great things to come from him in the future, currently plays for Miracle Football Academy, whose training ground is a tiny pitch inside a market at the Ijeshatedo area of Lagos.
Though the training ground fondly called ‘Fashola Garden’ accommodates only 5-a-side games, Usman and his pals defied all odds while playing on a full field, where they got an astonishing 5-0 win in their last match at the 2026 Seamoriow U15 Football Competition.
Coach of the side, Lateef Gafaru (aka Tunde), was all smiles after the game at Islamic Field, Ikotun, Lagos, and gave a pat on the back to Usman for emerging as man of the match during the encounter that left everyone stunned inside the ultramodern astro-turf arena.
Usman, who is still a student of Ansar-Ud-Deen and son of a bureau de change operator, revealed in a chat with Sports247: “I dedicate this award to my dad, because he’s the one who took me to join Miracle Football Academy in 2025.
“That’s how I started improving in football. I used to play on the streets in our area near Powerline at Ijesha Express, but now I’m training regularly under Coach Tunde. I also thank him for how he is guiding me.”
Sports247 reports further that the brilliant show by Usman left the spectators and match commentator hailing his impact, while Coach Tunde’s friend, Jamiu Toheeb of Great FC, who assisted him on the bench, confirmed the lad’s quality.
Their comments left Sports247 referencing heroic players who have dazzled in the Nigerian league, with Jigawa Golden Stars FC of Dutse, whose exploits Usman Muktar looks good enough to outshine.
Some of the football heroes from Jigawa who have twinkled in years past include Rabiu Tata, Mustapha Rabo, Sani Pele, Nasiru Rasha, Nura Alanshera and Hamisu Shaka.
Jigawa’s dazzling stars of the present generation include Garba Isah, Musa Tsutsa and Mujahid Ibrahim Sharif, but the new lad from Ijesha Market appears good enough to surpass them all.
