According to a report by The Punch on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Super Eagles invitee Mubarak Suleiman has achieved a major milestone in the UEFA Champions League, becoming the first Nigerian teenager to start a match in the competition since Alex Iwobi did so in March 2016.

The 19-year-old midfielder was named in Slavia Prague’s starting lineup for their entertaining 2-2 draw against Fenerbahçe at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul on Tuesday evening.

Suleiman’s achievement ends a 10-year wait for a Nigerian teenager to start a Champions League fixture. The last player to accomplish the feat was Iwobi, who started for Arsenal against Barcelona in the round of 16 in March 2016.

The midfielder made his second appearance in the prestigious European competition after featuring against Sabah FK on October 13, a match Slavia Prague lost 2-0 in Azerbaijan.

Despite the tough opposition, Suleiman delivered a promising performance, creating two key passes and completing six accurate passes into the attacking third. He was substituted in the 85th minute, with Pavel Kacor coming on in his place.

Slavia Prague showed remarkable determination to recover from a two-goal deficit and secure a valuable point away from home.

Fenerbahçe initially looked comfortable after Oğuz Aydın and Mason Greenwood scored within the opening 11 minutes to put the Turkish side firmly in front.

However, Slavia Prague pulled one back in the 15th minute when Lukas Provod took advantage of a misplaced pass from Matteo Guendouzi to reduce the deficit.

The visitors completed their comeback in the 90th minute when Kacor scored a stunning acrobatic volley to level the score at 2-2.

Nigerian forward Emmanuel Ayaosi played an important role in the late equaliser, providing the cross that Kacor converted. The goal also marked the 20-year-old’s first senior goal for Slavia Prague.

Suleiman has recorded one goal and one assist in eight appearances across all competitions this season.

The youngster was initially expected to join the Super Eagles squad for their international friendly against Russia but withdrew before the match took place.

This Champions League milestone marks a significant step in Suleiman’s career as he continues to develop in European football and strengthen his chances of earning more opportunities with the Nigerian national team.

He will now hope to build on the experience as he targets further improvement while helping Slavia Prague in their ongoing European campaign.