17-year-old Joshua Udoh etched his name into the record books as the youngest Nigerian player to ever feature in a FIFA Club World Cup match.
The teenage midfielder made his senior debut for UAE side Al-Ain in their 5–0 defeat to Juventus during the first round of the tournament, played in the early hours of Thursday (Nigerian time) at Audi Field.
The match ended in a comprehensive victory for Juventus, with goals from Randal Kolo Muani (2), Francisco Conceição (2), and Kenan Yıldız.
Udoh, who came on as a late substitute in the 90+2 minute, was only 17 years, 11 months, and 14 days old at the time of his appearance.
His appearance makes him the 11th-youngest player in Club World Cup history , just behind Germany’s Jamal Musiala, who featured in the competition at 17 years, 11 months and 13 days old.
Udoh, a product of Al-Ain’s youth academy, was promoted to the senior squad ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, having never made a first-team appearance prior to the tournament.
He was joined in the squad by fellow Nigerians Hassan Sani Mohammed, also an academy graduate, and Rilwanu Sarki.
Both Sani and Sarki were included in the tournament squad but did not feature in the opening match against Juventus.
Al-Ain will continue their Club World Cup campaign against Manchester City, and there is growing anticipation that Udoh may earn further minutes as the Emirati side looks to bounce back from their opening loss.
