Ikorodu City goalkeeper Michael Atata has described his latest Super Eagles experience as the fulfilment of a childhood dream, admitting that his invitation to Nigeria’s international friendly against Russia still felt surreal despite years of preparation for the opportunity.
The 20-year-old shot-stopper is among three goalkeepers in Eric Chelle’s squad for Tuesday’s encounter at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, alongside established first choice Stanley Nwabali and Finland-based Samuel James.
Atata said representing Nigeria had always been one of his biggest ambitions, but the reality of receiving the senior national-team invitation still caught him by surprise.
“It came as a surprise, but representing Nigeria has always been my dream,” Atata said. “I have always prepared myself because you never know when the opportunity will come.”
His elevation follows an impressive rise with Ikorodu City. Atata emerged as one of the outstanding goalkeepers of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League season, recording a league-high 16 clean sheets in 32 appearances and establishing himself as a key figure for the Oga Boys.
His performances had already caught Chelle’s attention. The Super Eagles coach watched Atata during Ikorodu City’s 3-1 victory over Wikki Tourists in May, before the goalkeeper was invited to Nigeria’s Unity Cup squad in London, where he trained alongside other senior internationals.
Atata believes those experiences have accelerated his development, giving him valuable lessons about the standards required at international level.
His latest invitation is also significant for Nigerian domestic football, with Ikorodu City teammate Aderemi Adeoye joining him in the squad for Russia. The pair travelled together for the national assignment as the Lagos club celebrated another landmark in its player-development journey.
For Atata, however, reaching the Super Eagles is not the destination.
“I’m ready to give my all,” he said.
From building his reputation through clean sheets in the NPFL to sharing a Super Eagles camp with Nigeria’s established internationals, Atata’s journey is gathering pace — and the young goalkeeper now has an opportunity to turn a lifelong dream into a lasting international career.
