Maduka Okoye: Brilliant Juventus display lands Super Eagles goalkeeper in Serie A TotW

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been named in the Serie A Team of the Week for Matchweek 29, following a standout performance for Udinese against Juventus, Afrik-Foot reports.

Although Udinese lost the game 1-0 on Saturday, Okoye was easily one of the best players on the pitch. The Nigerian goalkeeper made seven important saves, stopping wave after wave of Juventus attacks and keeping his side in the match for long periods. Without him, the scoreline could have been much heavier.

The only goal of the match came in the 38th minute when Kenan Yıldız produced a moment of quality before setting up Jérémie Boga to score into an empty net. Even then, Okoye could do very little to stop the goal.

Still, his performance caught the attention of observers as he was selected as the best goalkeeper in the league’s official Team of the Week. It is another strong sign of how much he has improved this season.

After missing the early part of the campaign, Okoye has returned strongly to become Udinese’s first-choice goalkeeper. He has now made over 20 league appearances this season, recording several clean sheets against strong sides like AS Roma and Fiorentina. His shot-stopping, confidence, and leadership have played a big role in keeping Udinese stable in mid-table.

Will Nigeria recall Maduka Okoye for Jordan, Iran?

With this kind of form, attention has quickly turned to Okoye’s international future with Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

Nigeria are set to play friendly matches against Iran and Jordan later this month, but Okoye’s inclusion in the squad is still uncertain.

As one of the most in-form Nigerian goalkeepers in Europe, Okoye is a top candidate to be named in the Super Eagles squad list. This is as current first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has not been very active recently at club level. Okoye missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations where Nwabali inspired Nigeria to a third-place finish.

Head coach Eric Chelle is believed to be looking at several options in goal, including Francis Uzoho and other emerging names. This means Okoye still faces competition despite his excellent form.

Okoye was in the Nigerian squad that failed to pick a World Cup ticket during the continental playoffs against Gabon and DR Congo in November. His last appearance for the Super Eagles was in a 1-1 friendly draw with Russia in Moscow last June.