Millwall forward Femi Azeez announced his arrival on the international stage in spectacular fashion, scoring a brace on his Super Eagles debut as Nigeria defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in the semi-final of the 2026 Unity Cup at The Valley in London.
The 24-year-old, handed his first senior cap under coach Éric Chelle, struck early with a clinical low finish before adding a second in the second half, powering the Super Eagles into the final of the tournament. His performance made him the first player this millennium to score twice on his Nigeria debut.
Azeez later reflected on the milestone in a social media post: “Really proud to score a brace on my
debut and finish the camp winning the Unity Cup! Honoured to represent this country and thank you to everyone for the support.”
Nigeria went on to retain the Unity Cup title with a commanding 3-0 victory over Jamaica in the final, securing a record fourth triumph in the competition. Azeez contributed an assist for one of the goals as the Super Eagles dominated the revived tournament, which celebrates London’s Nigerian diaspora communities.
Speaking after his debut performance against Zimbabwe, Azeez described the experience as a huge honour and admitted he was still processing the moment. “I didn’t know that,” he said upon learning of the historical significance of his brace. He also highlighted the attacking freedom provided by the coach: “It was the excitement, comfort, and expression. The coach gave us the freedom in the final third to do what we want and express ourselves. That’s why we’re here.”
The England-born Nigerian added in another interview that it was simply an honour to play for his country. “You know it’s just an honor to play for Nigeria so I thought you know let me show what we can do and you know I was relaxed for the game and yeah and I was lucky enough to get two goals.”
Azeez’s impressive showings have already sparked transfer interest from Premier League clubs, with the ambitious forward openly targeting a move to the top flight. “The Premier League is obviously the pinnacle of football. I’d love to play in the Premier League. So obviously, working hard, I’m going to do whatever I can to get there.”
The Unity Cup served as an important audition platform for emerging talents under Chelle, blending home-based players with those from Europe. Azeez’s standout contribution has boosted expectations ahead of upcoming World Cup and AFCON qualifiers.
