Mubarak Suleiman: Meet the Slavia teenager now in Chelle’s Uyo camp

Slavia Prague teenager Mubarak Suleiman is in the Super Eagles camp in Uyo for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania, a month after a paperwork problem cost the 19-year-old a first Nigeria cap in Russia.

Suleiman was part of the final group to arrive, led by captain Wilfred Ndidi, which completed Eric Chelle's 24-man squad. Nigeria host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Friday 13 November, then play the return in Tanzania on Tuesday 17 November.

He was in line for a debut in October's friendly in Nizhny Novgorod, but the NFF ruled him out because of a residence permit issue, as Soccernet reported before the Russia game. He is still uncapped.

From Right 2 Win to a Champions League start

Suleiman joined Slavia from the Right 2 Win academy in Nigeria in the summer of 2025, broke into the first team in the spring and signed a contract to 2031 in September, according to a Fotbalportal profile published on 2 November.

The last week of October was the best of his young career. He scored twice in a 4-0 MOL Cup win over Zbrojovka Brno on 27 October, then scored twice more and added an assist four days later in a 5-0 league win at Jablonec.

That run earned him a start against Arsenal in the Champions League on 4 November. The Gunners won 2-1 at the Fortuna Arena and Suleiman was replaced at half-time, one of three Nigerians in the Slavia line-up with David Moses and Emmanuel Ayaosi.

What Slavia say about ‘Muba'

Slavia head coach Jindřich Trpišovský had flagged that threat before the Brno win, in comments translated by Soccernet:

Before the match I said that we have the “Nigeria Wingers” and that we would be dangerous with them.

Midfielder Michal Sadílek was just as warm about the teenager in the same piece.

Muba is a great kid, a bit specific. A quiet soul of the team.

Analysis: Uyo may come early for him, but the camp still counts

Nigeria are second in Group L on three points, three behind Guinea-Bissau, and both Tanzania games are close to must-win. In that position Chelle is more likely to trust the attackers he already knows, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Akor Adams and Taiwo Awoniyi among them, than to hand a debut to a 19-year-old in a qualifier this tight.

That makes the bench the realistic target for Suleiman this week. Four goals and an assist in two games, plus a Champions League start against Arsenal, is still the kind of form that keeps a young player on a coach's list, and a week inside the squad tells Chelle more than any highlights reel.

The first sessions in Uyo were disrupted by late arrivals, so every training day now matters. If the result against Tanzania goes Nigeria's way early, a first cap for the Slavia teenager in either game would be the natural next step, and the Nigeria vs Tanzania preview sets out what Friday means for Group L.