‘Milestone in my journey’ – 19-year-old keeper dubbed next Nwabali reacts to Flying Eagles debut

A new star may have emerged for Nigeria, as 19-year-old goalkeeper Clinton Andy Ezekiel has earned his first cap for the Flying Eagles. 

The highly-touted shot-stopper, who has drawn comparisons to Super Eagles icons Stanley Nwabali and Vincent Enyeama, called his debut a ‘milestone in my journey’ following Nigeria's 3-1 friendly victory over Australia's U-20 side.

Ezekiel’s international debut comes after a standout start to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season with Bayelsa United, where his commanding presence and impressive reflexes have made him one of the most talked-about young keepers in the country. 

His quick rise has been rewarded with a call-up to Nigeria’s U-20 team, who are in Chile preparing for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The young goalkeeper was in goal as the Flying Eagles, seven-time African champions, proved too strong for their Australian counterparts. 

Goals from Tahir Maigana, Achichi Oseer, and Charles Agada secured a morale-boosting win for the team as they fine-tuned their preparations for the tournament, which officially kicks off this weekend.

For Ezekiel, the moment was a dream come true. Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, he shared his gratitude and excitement. 

“Yesterday, I got the opportunity to make my debut for the Flying Eagles in our 3-1 win against Australia U-20’s, a milestone in my journey that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” he wrote. “I’m thankful to my coaches, teammates and family for their support. First of many!”

The Flying Eagles will be hoping to make a deep run in the competition and challenge for their first-ever global crown at this level. 

With the team now turning its focus to their opening World Cup fixture, the emergence of a new goalkeeping prodigy will provide coach Aliyu Zubairu with a new layer of confidence as they begin their campaign.