Newly signed Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Zadok Yohanna has admitted that missing out on Nigeria’s U-17 and U-20 national teams turned out to be one of the defining moments of his career.
The 18-year-old defender, who recently completed a move to the Premier League side from Swedish club AIK after previously featuring for Abuja-based Allah FC, said the disappointment ultimately fuelled his determination to improve.
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“That setback made me stronger and helped shape my career,” Yohanna said.
The Nigerian youngster revealed that failing to make the Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles squads was difficult to accept at the time, especially with the quality of players competing for places.
According to him, the experience taught him resilience and pushed him to keep working on every aspect of his game.
“You have to understand that there were more than 70 players in camp. Some of them were already among the best in the country, so I kept working to improve myself,” he added.
Yohanna explained that rather than allowing the disappointment to affect his confidence, he used it as motivation to become a better footballer.
The teenage defender believes the lessons he learned during that period have prepared him for the challenges of playing in Europe.
“When I eventually moved to Europe, I was already used to fighting for opportunities. That experience made me stronger, and I’m grateful for how everything has worked out in my career,” he stated.
Yohanna’s rise from Nigeria’s grassroots football scene to the Premier League serves as another reminder that setbacks do not always define a player’s journey, with the young defender now focused on making his mark at Brighton & Hove Albion.
