Yesterday Portuguese giants FC Porto confirmed the signing of 23 year old Nigerian left back Zaidu Sanusi as first reported by owngoalnigeria.com in June.
Same portal broke the news of his transfer to Gil Vincente of Portugal in 2016 when the left winger turned full back impressed scouts during a scouting event in Kaduna.
Picked from Kebbi State, the then 18 year old represented Mutunchi FC in the mini tournament where he excelled as a left winger and was nicknamed “Gareth Bale”.
He moved to Gil Vincente U19 in a little less than two months after the tournament to kick start his career in a strange country less than three months after leaving his ancestral home of Kebbi State in Nigeria where he works as a farmer in the rice plantation of his father.
“ The only time I get to play football is when we are done with farming. It was leisure to me. Farming was my main thing and my dream was to own a farmland like my father before I was sighted and taken to a team in Kaduna”, Zaidu told Owngoalngeria.com senior editor Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman.
What was supposed to be a dream move turned sour when a mysterious injury struck him about same time when there was a dispute over his ownership between two parties back in Nigeria.
” Shortly after signing for Gil Vicente, we were moved to the youth team with a plan of promoting us to the first team if we impress. We were three that were picked from the scouting event that was held in Kaduna “, he told Mowiz.
” My case was a bit weird because two people were fighting over my ownership and that caused pressure on my immediate family. It somehow got to me when I suffered a strange injury. When I walk I will be fine but as soon as I step on the pitch to train, I will begin to feel an unusual pain.
” Scan was done on it and nothing was found to be wrong with me. I spoke with my people back home and was told it’s something to do with what we call ‘juju’. Some form of spiritual attack and that they are going to pray about it for me and that they did and it worked “, he concluded.
That injury cost him time at the club and upon his recovery he was loaned out to third division side Mirandela to help him get game time in order to build up his fitness.
At Mirandela , Zaidu who back then doesn’t speak a word of English or Portuguese but instead his native Hausa had to combine his career with doing house help services in order to make ends meet.
“ Things were really tough and there is the pressure to send money home. I decided to work part time in a house to raise money for myself and my family while I continue to push for a breakthrough. I was determined to make it instead of returning back to Nigeria “.
His determination paid off two years later when Mirandela signed him on a free transfer and he immediately begin to show his worth with string of impressive performances following his conversation from a left winger to a left back.
“ The year 2018 was supposed to be a very tough year for me but Allah made it easy for me. I was released by Gil Vicente and Mirandela where I have played for two years on loan offered me a one year deal.
“ I sparingly play at left back the previous season but when I was signed permanently the coach told me he sees me as left back or central defender and not as a winger”.
That year was the turning point in his career as he excelled and caught the eyes of Santa Clara after a Portuguese Cup game against the top division team. He was signed at the end of the season as a free player after the end of his one year deal at Mirandela.
It took him a while to get going at Santa Clara after making the big jump from third division to first division but it didn’t take too long for him to settle as he picked up three man is the match award in his first eight games of the season.
By the turn of the year, he was snapped up by the player agency of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, He was recommended to the CEO of the team Jorge Mendez by a former player of Santa Clara who works for the agent.
Yesterday he completed a remarkable rise from the third division to FC Porto in three years and if there’s one thing he won’t be scared of it is competition for spots as he has fought and won numerous battles on his way to the top.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
