Akintunde Alani: Nigerian prodigy makes La Liga debut for Real Valladolid after U20 AFCON heartbreak

Nigerian teenager Ibrahim Akintunde Alani made his La Liga debut for Real Valladolid on Tuesday night, coming off the bench in the club’s 1-0 defeat at home to Girona, Soccernet.ng reports.

While Valladolid’s relegation from the Spanish top flight had already been confirmed — rooted to the bottom of the table with just 16 points from 36 games — the appearance of the 18-year-old Alani offered a rare bright spark in a difficult campaign for the Blanquivioletas.

Akintunde Alani, who joined Valladolid’s youth ranks at the beginning of the season, replaced Florian Grillitsch in the 66th minute to feature in the final 24 minutes of the game.

Girona striker Cristhian Stuani’s 80th-minute strike proved decisive, but Alani’s assured display did not go unnoticed.

The lad becomes only the third Nigerian to feature for Real Valladolid's senior team after Tunde Akinsola and Bartholomew Ogbeche.

The Lagos-born teenager has had a whirlwind year.

Originally signed to strengthen Valladolid’s U19 squad, Alani impressed quickly and earned promotion to the Promesas (B team) once the winter transfer window opened. Since then, he has made 15 appearances and provided two assists in Spain’s lower divisions.

Alani ⚽️ @_xavimoreno_ #pucela #RVPromesas pic.twitter.com/9fdec8bRvy

— Cantera Real Valladolid (@RVcantera) April 1, 2025

Akintunde Alani: Nigerian prodigy makes La Liga debut for Real Valladolid after U20 AFCON heartbreak

The youngster’s rise has been even more impressive considering the personal setback he faced earlier this year.

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Alani was invited to represent Nigeria at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations by head coach Aliyu Zubairu, but his dream was cut short before it began.

Upon arriving at the national camp, the midfielder fell ill — struggling to acclimatise to Nigeria’s intense heat and humidity — and had to return to Spain for treatment.

18-year-old Real Valladolid midfielder Ibrahim Alani has been called up by the Nigeria under-20 squad coach for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations , which will be held in Egypt following the withdrawal of Ivory Coast as host.

The midfielder is expected to join the team from April… pic.twitter.com/8FpPjyM0zL

— Tolu Oguntimehin (@Tolu_TOTSPORTS) April 1, 2025

Following medical tests in Valladolid, it was confirmed that the midfielder had suffered from dehydration, ruling him out of the tournament.

An agreement was reached between the Spanish club and the Nigerian Football Federation to prioritise his recovery, meaning Alani missed the entire U20 AFCON.

Despite his absence, Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have excelled at the tournament, reaching the semi-finals and securing qualification for the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup. Nigeria will face South Africa in the last four on Wednesday.

Now fully recovered, Alani has rejoined Valladolid’s reserve team and continues to impress with his maturity and versatility — capable of operating both as a centre-back and a midfielder.

His La Liga debut signals a major step in his development, and he will be hoping to play his way back into Nigeria’s plans for the U20 World Cup in Chile later this year.