Garba Lawal Urges Super Eagles Recall for Umar Sadiq After Five-Goal La Liga Revival at Valencia

Umar Sadiq’s resurgence in Spanish football has drawn the attention of one of Nigeria’s most decorated former players, with Garba Lawal — a member of the Super Eagles side that claimed Olympic gold at Atlanta in 1996 — declaring the striker must be recalled to the national team setup under head coach Eric Chelle.

Sadiq joined Valencia CF from Real Sociedad in January 2026, a move that initially attracted scrutiny but has since proven to be a career-defining decision. The Nigerian forward has scored five La Liga goals for Los Che, emerging as a key contributor in the club’s bid to avoid relegation from Spain’s top flight.

Lawal, speaking in an interview with Footy-Africa, credited Sadiq’s mental resilience for his turnaround, acknowledging the psychological toll that a goal drought takes on any striker. “It’s fantastic to see him back amongst the goals. As a striker, when you aren’t scoring, you are angry with yourself, even if the team wins. That is the nature of the job,” the former midfielder said.

The ex-Super Eagles stalwart also revealed that he remained in close communication with Sadiq throughout a difficult period that was marked by injuries and scarce playing time. “Even when he wasn’t scoring, I told him to stay calm and that the goals would come. Right now, he is doing exceptionally well. Every striker needs confidence, and you can clearly see he has found it again,” Lawal added.

At Real Sociedad, Sadiq found first-team opportunities severely limited due to the presence of Spanish international Mikel Oyarzabal, who was regularly deployed in an advanced position. Lawal acknowledged the structural difficulty of competing for minutes in those circumstances. “He had to leave because of Oyarzabal. It’s very difficult to bench a player of that status. Moving to Valencia was the right decision, and now he’s showing the quality we all know he has,” he explained.

Sadiq was absent from Nigeria’s squad at the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament the Super Eagles have historically been a prominent force in, having won the competition three times. His omission, combined with his subsequent loss of form and fitness, appeared to push him further from international contention. However, Lawal believes the striker’s current output changes that calculation entirely.

Asked directly whether Sadiq merits a place in Eric Chelle’s squad, the former midfielder offered no ambiguity. “I think he should be there. A striker in that kind of form is an asset to any national team. I would love to see him back in the green and white anytime,” Lawal said.

Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles following the departure of Finidi George in 2024, faces decisions ahead of upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification fixtures, with Nigeria still navigating their path to the tournament to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Sadiq’s five-goal tally for Valencia — a side fighting at the bottom of La Liga — presents a compelling case for reintegration into the national team picture as Chelle continues to shape his attacking options.