Super Eagles star Maduka Okoye set to receive prestigious award

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is set to receive a major individual honour after being named Udinese’s Player of the Season for the 2025/26 campaign. 

The Nigeria international will be recognised at the 26th edition of the Galà del Calcio Triveneto in Vicenza on Monday, October 12, although he is unlikely to attend the ceremony.

Okoye will be presented with Udinese’s Player of the Season award after establishing himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper throughout the 2025/26 campaign. According to Udinese Blog, the 27-year-old is expected to be in Turin when the ceremony takes place, with Udinese scheduled to face Torino in their sixth Serie A fixture.

The award comes after a season in which Okoye overcame a difficult start to play a major role between the posts for the Italian club.

The former Sparta Rotterdam and Watford goalkeeper began the campaign serving a suspension for sporting misconduct linked to allegations that he deliberately received a yellow card during Udinese’s match against Lazio in the 2023/24 season.

After completing his suspension, Okoye returned to the starting XI and remained Udinese’s preferred goalkeeper for the rest of the campaign.

Okoye made 30 Serie A appearances last season and recorded 10 clean sheets, including three consecutive shutouts against Genoa, Como and AC Milan.

His club form earned him a place in Nigeria’s squads for the back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

However, the goalkeeper remained on the bench for both matches, with Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle opting to start Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Okoye’s latest individual recognition underlines his importance at club level despite his current battle for the starting role with Nigeria.

The goalkeeper remains tied to Udinese until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, giving him further opportunity to build on his performances in Italy and challenge for a regular place with the Super Eagles.