On Monday, May 6, the Bluenergy Stadium, which is the home ground of Serie A giants Udinese, three Nigeria internationals literally set the ground ablaze. Super Eagles stars: With Victor Osimhen starring for Napoli, Isaac Success and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye were on parade for the home side Udinese.

Osimhen, one of the most lethal strikers in world football put Napoli ahead early in the first half. Osimhen refused to celebrate after scoring because he scored against his international team mate, Maduka Okoye.

Just when everybody thought the Napolitans were running away with their lean lead, Isaac Success rose from the bench and secured a late stoppage time equaliser for the home side. The goal, his first in Serie A in 379 days, came during a season in which he has made 25 appearances.

Isaac Success shot into limelight in 2013, when he featured for the Golden Eaglets in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirate. He was the assistant captain but featured for just two games before he was sidelined by injury for the rest of the tournament. Nigeria won the trophy eventually.

Born on January 7, 1996, in Benin City, Edo State, Success started his career with local side BJ Foundation Academy, appearing regularly for the side before moving to the beautiful landscape of European football, showcasing his unparalleled talent and unwavering dedication to achieving his life-long football dreams.

2013 U-17 FIFA World Cup winner

In 2013 Success was called up to Nigeria under-17’s for the year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, being also named vice-captain. He appeared in the first two games, but was sidelined during the rest of the tournament due to an injury. But he went on to celebrate with the team in the final.

Football sibling

The former Nigerian youth international has a brother who plays professional football too. His name is Goodness Ohiremen Ajayi and is just two years older than Success himself. Goodness is currently on the books of Romanian club, FC Astra Giurgiu.

La Liga record holder

On 31 August 2014, Success made his first-team debut, starting in a 1-1 away draw against Elche CF at the age of 18 years and seven months, consequently becoming the Andalusians’ youngest player ever to appear in a La Liga match. He also went on to set another record in the 2014/2015 season, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the league for the same season following his goal against Valencia in December 2014.

Pozzo Family

Isaac Success has been on the books of the Pozzo Family, a football dynasty. They are the first family to own clubs in the top flights of England, Spain and Italy at the same time. Remember, Success had featured for Granada in Spain, Watford in England and is currently on the books of Udinese.

Granada Player of the year

Success scored six La Liga goals to help the Nazaries finish in 16th place, hereby escaping the drop with 39 points. The Benin born striker was however voted the men’s player of the 2015/2016 season, going on to dedicate the award to his mother.

Sex Scandal

In 2017, Isaac Success was arrested after ‘paying four hookers £2,000 for a hotel romp’ and ‘angrily demanding his cash back’. Escort Alexis Domerge said the Watford star boasted of his prowess in the bedroom after paying the women £2,000 for a hotel romp.

But the then 21-year-old, drank two bottles of Baileys and then repeatedly failed to score with the hookers.

When the women decided to blow the whistle on Success’s lackluster performance after 90 minutes, he angrily demanded his money back.

He was arrested in the hotel lobby after cops were called.

FA Cup silver medalist

Isaac Success believes Watford’s 6-0 defeat in the hands of Manchester City in the 2019 English FA Cup final at Wembley was a real disaster.

Success, who came on for Roberto Pereyra in the 66th minute in the defeat said their performance in that final was shameful.

“It was a disaster for the whole team,” Success said.

“We were really disappointed. Our mentality was that we could win the trophy. We played against a difficult team — an amazing team really, with so much quality. But we were disappointed to lose

“It shouldn’t have been six goals but it was a good experience for everyone. The atmosphere was amazing and we had a runners-up medal. It was such a tough game so we were angry but at the same time happy we got to that point.”

Like Gabriel Jesus like Success

Success is a quick, strong and confident forward whose daring and incisive dribbling runs cause regular problems for opposing defences. His end product is still a hit-and-miss but his physique and persistence make him a real handful for his markers. He is capable of playing through the middle, also a player who can offer more to his team from a wide starting position on either the left or right flank.

Record label owner

Success set up a record label, I.S Music, in the summer of 2015, and made a cameo appearance in the video for the label’s debut single, Young Alhaji, performed by his childhood friend Trazyx.

Isaac Success club career

The former Super Eagles star hasn’t played professionally outside Europe’s top five leagues. Let’s take you into the details of his club career below.

Granada CF

In November 2013, Success agreed to a five-year deal with Udinese, starting in January 2014, for a €400,000 fee. However, he was only granted a work permit in March of the following year and immediately joined Granada CF, being assigned to the reserves in Segunda División B.

On 31 August 2014, Success made his first-team debut, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Elche CF at the age of 18 years and seven months, being their youngest player ever to appear in a La Liga match. He scored his first professional goal on 7 December, netting his side’s only goal in the home draw against Valencia CF, for the same scoreline.

On 7 August 2015, Success extended his link with the club, signing until 2019 and being permanently promoted to the main squad.

Watford Football Club/Málaga

Isaac Success’ arrival at Watford in 2016 was heralded with a wave of optimism. The young Nigerian forward, signed for a then club-record fee, embodied the potential for a bright future. However, his time at Vicarage Road proved to be a story of unfulfilled promise, punctuated by flashes of brilliance amidst inconsistency and frustration.

Success’ early days showcased his raw talent. His technical ability and imposing physical presence offered glimpses of a player who could transform Watford’s attack. He possessed a dangerous dribble, capable of weaving past defenders and creating scoring opportunities. His strength allowed him to hold off defenders and shield the ball, bringing teammates into play. These attributes, coupled with his young age, fueled expectations of a prolific career in the Premier League.

However, adapting to the relentless pace and physicality of the English top-flight proved more challenging than anticipated. Success struggled with consistency, often failing to convert promising build-up play into goals. His finishing, while improving at times, remained a source of frustration for both the player and the fans. Additionally, a series of injuries hampered his progress, limiting his chances to establish himself in the starting lineup.

In an attempt to regain his rhythm, Success was loaned to Málaga in La Liga during the 2018/19 season. This move provided him with more regular playing time, although it wasn’t an unqualified success. He returned to Watford with a renewed sense of purpose and a chance to prove himself under a new manager. There were fleeting moments of brilliance, like his crucial goal against Tottenham Hotspur. Yet, the issues that had plagued him previously – inconsistency and a lack of clinical finishing – persisted.

Despite glimpses of his potential, Success ultimately failed to secure a regular starting role at Watford.

Udinese Calcio

Isaac Success’ departure from Watford in 2021 marked the end of a tumultuous chapter in his career. After five years with the Hornets, filled with both promise and frustration, Success opted for a fresh start in Serie A with Udinese.

While Success has found more playing time at Udinese compared to his latter years at Watford, his role is primarily as a substitute. He has yet to fully replicate the early promise he showed in England. However, he remains a valuable asset for Udinese, offering them a physical presence and attacking option off the bench.

Isaac Success’ international career

Success’ national team journey began with the prestigious U-17 World Cup in 2013. He was entrusted with the vice-captaincy role, underlining the high regard he held within the squad. However, his participation was tragically cut short by injury after just two games. Nigeria went on to clinch the title, a bittersweet moment for Success who missed out on contributing to his team’s crowning achievement.

His foray into senior football came in 2016 with a call-up for a crucial World Cup qualifier against Zambia. The wait for his official debut stretched on until March 2017, when he appeared as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Senegal. This fleeting glimpse hinted at the national team’s hopes for his development.

In an interview with Steven Moore and Michelle Bruzzese of TLN Tv last year, the former youth international expressed a desire to feature for the national team again. “It’s emotional, it’s something every Nigerian player in Europe wants to be a part of and when I had my chance at the under-17 world cup, it’s an incredible feeling,” Success said on his international career so far.

The striker only played four games for the Super Eagles last of which came in a friendly game against Uganda in November 2018.

“For me, I’ve achieved what I wanted before starting my career and of course, I want to go further but at the point, we’ve got a lot of good players right now in Europe doing well for their club sides and its always going to be a competition,” The Udinese man stated in admission of the difficulty of his dream.

The 28-year-old has 4 caps with the Super Eagles.

Culled from AFRIK-FOOT