Alhassan Yusuf

Updated August 19, 2024

YUSUF AT A GLANCE:

• 24-year-old defensive midfielder has totaled nearly 200 senior appearances in Belgium and Sweden.
• Began career with Swedish Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg from 2018-21, where he was named the 2019 Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year.
• Winner of the Belgian first-division championship (2022-23), Belgian Cup (2023), and Belgian Super Cup (2023-24) with Royal Antwerp FC.
• Capped seven times in 2024 by the Nigeria National Team, including three appearances at the latest Africa Cup of Nations en route to runner-up finish.
• Honored as a Member of the Order of the Niger, one of the country’s highest honors, after 2023 AFCON.

MLS CAREER (2024): Transferred to New England from Royal Antwerp FC for an undisclosed fee on August 12, 2024…Signed through the 2027 Major League Soccer season, with a club option for 2028 and will occupy an international roster spot.

CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Owns nearly 200 club appearances between Royal Antwerp FC and IFK Göteborg, with six goals and 16 assists in over 13,000 minutes…Signed first professional contract with Swedish side IFK Göteborg in 2018 after impressing in a youth tournament with Tiki Taka Academy…Spent three seasons with IFK Göteborg, logging 77 appearances in all competitions and tallying two goals and nine assists…In 2019, played 26 league matches in first full season with the club, scoring two goals and adding two assists…Named 2019 Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year…Added three assists in seven Swedish Cup matches…Tallied two assists in 29 matches during the 2020 Allsvenskan campaign…Appeared in 10 league matches during 2021 Allsvenskan season prior to departing club during the summer transfer window…Joined Royal Antwerp on July 16, 2021 after reaching verbal agreement with the club…Scored three goals and added one assist in 26 matches during first season with Royal Antwerp in 2021…Also recorded one assist in four UEFA Europa League appearances…In 2022, tallied 22 league appearances with two assists…Also appeared in six UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying matches…Appeared in 20 league contests during the 2023 season, tallying two assists…Added one goal and one assist in six UEFA Champions League group stage matches…Won 2022-23 Belgian Cup and 2023 Belgian SuperCup…Made substitute appearance in 2024 JPL season opener.

Royal Antwerp (BEL): Joined Royal Antwerp on July 16, 2021, after reaching verbal agreement with the club…Scored three goals and added one assist in 26 matches during first season with Royal Antwerp in 2021…Made first appearance for the club on August 8, 2021 at Standard Liège…Tallied first assist on August 13 at RSC Charleroi…Scored first goal for the club on November 7, 2021 vs. RSC Anderlecht…Also recorded four UEFA Europa League appearances, notching an assist on November 25, 2021 at Eintracht Frankfurt…In 2022, tallied 22 league appearances with two assists…Also appeared in six UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying matches…Won 2022-23 Belgian Cup and 2023 Belgian SuperCup…Appeared in 20 league contests during the 2023 season, tallying two assists…Added one goal and one assist in six UEFA Champions League group stage matches…Scored first Champions League goal on October 25, 2023 against FC Porto…Added Champions League assist in group stage finale against FC Barcelona on December 13, 2023…Made substitute appearance in 2024 season opener.

IFK Göteborg (SWE): Owns nearly 200 club appearances between Royal Antwerp FC and IFK Göteborg, with six goals and 16 assists in over 13,000 minutes…Signed first professional contract with Swedish side IFK Göteborg in 2018 after impressing in a youth tournament with Tiki Taka Academy…Spent three seasons with IFK Göteborg, logging 77 appearances in all competitions and tallying two goals and nine assists…Made professional debut on Oct. 22, 2018…In 2019, played 26 league matches in first full season with the club, scoring two goals and adding two assists…Named 2019 Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year…Recorded first professional assist on July 13, 2019 vs. Falkenbergs FF…Notched first two professional goals, and one assist, in final match of 2019 against Östersund…Added three assists in seven 2019 Swedish Cup matches to win first trophy…Tallied two assists in 29 matches during the 2020 Allsvenskan campaign…Appeared in 10 league matches during 2021 Allsvenskan season prior to departing club during the summer transfer window.

NATIONAL TEAM (Nigeria): Capped seven times by the Nigeria Men’s National Team…Made international debut on January 8, 2024 in a friendly match against Guinea…Made three appearances at the 2024 AFCON, including starting the opening match against Equatorial Guinea…Made substitute appearance in AFCON Final, playing 11 minutes against hosts Cote d’Ivoire…Appeared in two CAF World Cup Qualifying matches in June 2024 against South Africa and Benin.

PERSONAL*:\* Full name is Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi Pigui…Hails from Kano in Northern Nigeria…Honored as a Member of the Order of the Niger, one of the country’s highest honors, after 2023 AFCON.