Super Eagles striker with 20 G/A in La Liga hints at retirement from international football

Super Eagles striker with 20 G/A in La Liga hints at retirement from international football.

Valencia forward Sadiq Umar has revealed that he is considering retiring from international football at just 29 years of age.

​The former Almeria man has been out of the Super Eagles fold since the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025. Although he was invited to the camp for the games against Zimbabwe and Rwanda, he remained an unused substitute for both matches. The last time Sadiq featured for the Super Eagles was in November 2024.

Last season, he contributed seven goals and five assists in 29 appearances for Valencia and Real Sociedad. He played a key role in helping Los Che avoid relegation, contributing three crucial goals in the final seven games of the campaign.

​That run of performance was expected to earn him a place in Nigeria’s Unity Cup squad, or at least inclusion for the matches against Poland and Portugal. However, he was snubbed, while strikers like Owen Oseni and Rafiu Durosinmi were called up instead

​Speaking in an interview with Newsmen Sadiq expressed his frustration regarding his continued omission by coach Eric Chelle. However, he noted that he understands the depth of Nigeria’s talent pool and acknowledges that he might not fit the specific profile of the striker the coach currently prefers.

​The 29-year-old confirmed that he has not made a final decision yet. Instead, he intends to wait until the new season begins before assessing his best options.

Sadiq also revealed that a major motivation for his potential retirement is to manage his body properly to ensure a long career like 41-year-old Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

The new football season begins in August, and Sadiq will be hoping to start the campaign on a high note with Valencia. Since he started playing in the Spanish top division four years ago, he has struggled with injuries and loss of form, which has left him with 15 goals and five assists in 79 games.

Nonetheless, Valencia seems to be home for him. A strong start could see Sadiq earn a recall to the national squad for the international window in September.