Explained: Real reason Zadok Yohanna missed Super Eagles’ Unity Cup 2026 tournament

The Super Eagles of Nigeria were dealt a setback ahead of the 2026 Unity Cup after AIK forward Zadok Yohanna was forced to withdraw from the competition, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 18-year-old has emerged as one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects over the course of the year and earned a maiden call-up from Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle following growing calls for his inclusion due to his impressive performances. 

However, AIK prevented him from linking up with the national team due to concerns over his fitness after he was forced off during a league game against Djurgarden on May 10.

Nigeria, however, went on to secure an impressive 2-0 win over Zimbabwe in the semifinal and then defeated Jamaica 3-0 in the final to clinch a fourth consecutive Unity Cup title and extend their dominance in the competition.

Why Zadok Yohanna missed Super Eagles Unity Cup tournament

Super Eagles prospect Zadok Yohanna has continued to attract strong transfer interest from several clubs ahead of the summer window, following his impressive form for Swedish side AIK this season. The youngster only graduated from Ikon Allah Academy last year but has enjoyed a rapid rise in his career within a short period and could be on course for a big move in the near future.

The 18-year-old has recorded nine goal contributions in 12 appearances, making it an easy decision for coach Eric Chelle to include him in the Unity Cup squad, although he eventually did not link up with the team.

Speaking to Soccernet.ng, Ikon Allah Academy CEO Mr Ayi Mohammed confirmed that Yohanna’s injury and rehabilitation prevented him from joining up with the national team for the Unity Cup tournament.

“The truth is that he had a knock on the leg, so there wasn’t enough time between when he was expected to resume training and the tournament”, Mohammed told Soccernet.ng exclusively.

“They had to allow him recover properly before rejoining the Super Eagles. That was what happened.”

Zadok Yohanna will now be hoping for another opportunity with the Super Eagles in the near future and could even be in contention for next month’s friendly matches against Poland and Portugal.

For now, uncertainty remains over his future at AIK, given the level of interest he has attracted ahead of the summer transfer window, with the likes of Brighton and Rennes reportedly leading the chase and a concrete offer could see him leave AIK this summer.