Zaidu Sanusi Set For Messi Showdown At 2025 Club World Cup

Nigeria’s Super Eagles full-back, Zaidu Sanusi, has been named in FC Porto’s 28-man squad for the highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup, raising prospects of a potential face-off with football icon Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates.

The tournament kicks off June 15 in the United States, with FC Porto drawn in Group A alongside Brazilian giants Palmeiras, African powerhouse Al Ahly of Egypt, and Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.

Despite a quiet 2024-2025 season, marked by just three league appearances and a total of eight games across all competitions, 27-year-old Sanusi retains his place under new manager Martín Anselmi. His inclusion hints at a fresh start and possible resurgence on the global stage.

Sanusi’s career trajectory has seen him rise steadily through the ranks in Portugal, beginning at Gil Vicente before moving to Mirandela in 2018, then to Santa Clara, and finally sealing a top-flight move to FC Porto in 2020.

Since then, he has clocked 128 appearances for the Dragons, netting seven goals and providing one assist.

On the international scene, the dependable left-back debuted for Nigeria against Algeria in October 2020 and has earned 22 caps for the Super Eagles.

Porto’s squad also features exciting young talents like Gabriel Brás, André Oliveira, and Ángel Alarcón. New €15 million signing Gabri Veiga is expected to make his competitive debut, while UEFA Nations League winners Diogo Costa and Rodrigo Mora bolster the squad’s experience.

Promising striker Samu Aghehowa, who recently featured for Spain in their Nations League final loss to Portugal, also made the cut.

Some notable absentees include midfielder Marko Grujić, still recovering from injury, and Tiago Djaló, who has been dropped due to disciplinary issues. Goalkeeper Samuel Portugal also misses out as he continues rehabilitation from an elbow injury.

FC Porto’s campaign will begin on June 15 against Palmeiras, followed by a high-octane clash with Messi-led Inter Miami on June 19, before concluding the group stage against Egyptian champions Al Ahly.

The expanded Club World Cup will feature 32 teams from across the globe, competing from June 15 to July 13 in eleven U.S. cities. The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout rounds, which will be played in a single-elimination format.