Chelsea, Belgian Giants Circle Nigerian Wonderkid Abduljelil Kamaldeen at FIFA U20 World Cup

Kwara Football Academy Star Kamaldeen Draws Interest from Chelsea, Anderlecht, Antwerp

Chelsea’s famed scouting network has set its sights on Nigerian teenage sensation Abduljelil Kamaldeen, who has emerged as one of the brightest young stars at the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.

The 16-year-old midfielder, a product of Kwara Football Academy, announced himself on the world stage with a lively cameo in Nigeria’s opening Group D fixture — a narrow 1-0 defeat to Norway U20 on Monday.

Introduced in the final 12 minutes, Kamaldeen injected energy and urgency into the Flying Eagles’ midfield, nearly carving out an equalizer against opponents almost five years his senior. His composure, vision, and direct running immediately caught the attention of scouts in attendance.

Sources close to the team confirm that Chelsea have placed the youngster high on their priority list. The Premier League club had already tracked his development after his standout performances at the WAFU Zone B U20 Boys Cup in Ghana earlier this year, where he scored in Nigeria’s 4-1 victory over Benin Republic and impressed against Niger and Ivory Coast en route to the final.

Belgian giants Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp are also in the race, with both clubs sending scouts to the Estadio Fiscal de Talca for Nigeria’s crucial second group game against Saudi Arabia.
Born on September 9, 2009, Kamaldeen is the youngest outfield player in Nigeria’s squad — only slightly older than goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt.

Initially deployed as a left-winger for Kwara Football Academy, he has since evolved into a creative attacking midfielder, capable of dictating tempo from deep and driving forward with pace and trickery.

His style has already drawn comparisons to Nigerian international Alex Iwobi, while some see shades of Premier League legend Jay-Jay Okocha in his flair and creativity.

For Kamaldeen, the spotlight now grows even brighter. With Chelsea and top European clubs circling, and Nigeria needing a result to stay alive in the tournament, the teenager could be handed a starting role against Saudi Arabia — a stage that might just accelerate his journey from Ilorin to Europe’s elite leagues.

✍️ Olaide Ahli