Sevilla striker Akor Adams could become the next Nigerian to score on his Super Eagles debut when Nigeria face Lesotho in a must-win 2026 World Cup qualifier in Polokwane on Friday, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 25-year-old forward, whose career has taken him from Norway to France and now Spain, is in superb form and may join an elite list of just six players who have found the net for Nigeria on their first appearance.
Adams has been rewarded with an international call-up following his recent resurgence at Sevilla.
The former Flying Eagles star went from lighting up Norway with goals for Lillestrøm to looking like a bang average attacker in his last few days at Montpellier.
His move to Sevilla in January 2025 offered a fresh start but the powerful targetman saw injuries delay his breakthrough.
Now fully fit, Adams has rediscovered his rhythm. He has already scored twice this season for Sevilla, including the winner against Rayo Vallecano and a fine strike in the 4–1 demolition of La Liga champions Barcelona. That form has convinced head coach Eric Chelle to give him a long-awaited first senior cap.
The Super Eagles, desperate for victory after a stuttering run in their World Cup qualifying campaign, need goals and Adams could be the man to deliver them. Whether starting or coming off the bench behind Victor Osimhen and Tolu Arokodare, the opportunity will be there. The question is whether he can seize it.
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Nigeria’s six debut goalscorers: A rare and remarkable feat
Over the last 25 years, only six Nigerians have scored on their Super Eagles debut, a feat that remains one of the most difficult to achieve in international football.
The list begins with Julius Aghahowa, who announced himself at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations by netting the winner against Morocco as a 17-year-old, complete with his trademark somersaults.
Two years later, Femi Opabunmi, another teenage sensation, struck in a friendly against Kenya before going on to feature at the 2002 World Cup as one of the youngest players in tournament history.
Obafemi Martins followed in 2004, marking his debut against Ireland with a goal on Nigeria’s Democracy Day. The then-Inter Milan spe
edster went on to score 18 goals for his country, sealing his place among Nigeria’s all-time greats.
That same year, Stephen Makinwa found the net against South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge, though his international career would prove fleeting.
In 2011, Ekigho Ehiosun joined the list after scoring against Sierra Leone in coach Samson Siasia’s first game in charge, a performance that promised much but never truly blossomed.
The most recent addition came in 2017, when Brian Idowu, then with FC Amkar Perm in Russia, scored in Nigeria’s 4–2 friendly win over Argentina in Krasnodar. It was a landmark moment in a short but memorable international stint for Idowu.
Now, eight years later, Akor Adams stands on the brink of joining that exclusive club. A goal on Friday would catapult Adams into the history books and also spark the turnaround Nigeria desperately need on their road to the 2026 World Cup.
