The Metamorphosis of a Goalkeeper who is now a Sharp Striker

Suleman Shaibu, A Nigerian goalkeeper who plies his trade with TP Mazembe, has been in the news recently because of his goal-scoring skills..

Shaibu, a 22-year-old Nigerian goalkeeper, has also become a striker for the club after the club was banned by FIFA from signing players.

The Nigerian became an outfield player when FIFA banned TP Mazembe and some other clubs from registering new players over breaches in players’ contracts.

This led to him becoming a striker, as the club was unable to register new players, and the club had confidence in him to take on the point man’s role.

After coming on for his first game as a striker against Don Bosco in the 65th minute of the game in October 2024,  he has netted over seven times in games and also had assists in 15 matches while playing as a substitute in 13 games Since then.

The Kano-born goalkeeper-turned-striker said the club and the fans thought it was a joke when he offered to switch because many people did not have faith in him to play as a striker, such that when he initially suggested switching to an outfield position, many within the club dismissed the idea as a joke because while he was confident in his abilities, most people around him could not imagine a goalkeeper excelling in a striking role.

Shaibu noted that the FIFA ban on new signings had left the team with limited options, especially in attack, as some key players had departed and the only remaining striker was struggling to score. Seeing the situation, he approached the coach and proposed the idea of training as a forward. He recalled telling the coach that, given the lack of options, he was willing to step up and play in attack if given the opportunity.

“So I just told the coach I would also like to play as a forward, maybe until January when they would be able to register a new player. To his surprise, the coach accepted the idea without hesitation. During the next training session, Shaibu discovered that his usual goalkeeper’s jersey had been replaced with an outfield player’s kit in the dressing room. This made both his teammates and fans viewed the move with skepticism, believing that a goalkeeper had little to contribute in an attacking role. However, Shaibu remained undeterred, explaining that he had always believed in his ability to play as a striker and only needed a chance to prove himself on the pitch.

Looking ahead, the Nigerian star is ambitious about his football career. He expressed a strong desire to represent the Super Eagles and is open to moving to another league if he continues to perform well.

Shaibu stated that if he manages to score between 10 and 15 goals in the current season but does not get enough playing opportunities in the next, he would consider transferring to a different club.

especially in North Africa, before looking at a European move.

Story by Ibrozano Adams