Nigeria has produced some of the best midfield talents in Africa like Sunday Oliseh, Muda Lawal and Jay Jay Okocha. In generation of upcoming lads, no one deserves more recognition than Daniel Daga.
Who is Daniel Daga?
Born on October 1st, 2007, in Benue State, Nigeria, Daniel Daga was discovered during a scouting program organized by Uyo-based side FC One Rocket.
Recognizing his extraordinary potential, FC One Rocket wasted no time admitting him to their prestigious academy, Carabana FC.
This article was written by Abayomi Ademetan. Follow him on twitter @Futballg.
The lad found chances hard to come by in his first season (2021/2022) at One Rocket.
With the club finding themselves in the Nigeria National League red zone, One Rocket saw need to involve him against Warri Wolves and the teenager grabbed the opportunity and then he became a permanent fixture.
The youngster saw spotted by national team selectors and he started to show quality by winning the MVP Award at the 2022 WAFU B U20 Cup.
The youngster quickly switched to Dakkada on loan for the 2022/23 season. He was then called up for the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt. An injury against Senegal in the opener meant his participation at the tournament was cut short.
Daga emerged as a standout performer for the Flying Eagles of Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina.
Liverpool, AC Milan and Watford were credited with interests for his services. He will not turn 18 until January 2025.
The 2023/24 season is going very well for Daga, with 22 games for Enyimba in the Nigeria Professional Football League. He has also featured in two Africa Football League matches.
Attributes
The 17-year-old youngster from Benue State is an important cog of the title chasing Enyimba team. Another holding midfielder, Daga’s style of play is often compared to Roy Keane. He acts like a vacuum cleaner, destroying all the plays in his range. You can remember his performance in the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup. He ensured that the attacking power of the oppositions dried out immediately.
As mentioned, Daga is in the Roy Keane mould. His preferred position is as a single holding midfielder in a three-man midfield. The lad likes to impose himself against the opponents. His anticipation skills are one of the main strengths of his game. Moreover, his ability to read the game and to position himself in the right place in the field allow him to recover many lost balls and block dozens of passes and crosses into the area.
At the age of 17, another impressive quality for Daga is the calm and control he displays with the ball on his feet. Once again, helped by his skills, he barely loses the ball when challenged.
He prefers to play simple vertical passes to the more creative midfielders in front of him, but he can also play long lateral passes to the wingers and the overlapping full-backs.
Conclusion
Daniel Daga has played a major role in Enyimba’s road to success this season. In several matches the holding midfielder has completely ruled the centre of the pitch, simultaneously snuffing out any threat from the opposition by making timely interceptions, and setting Enyimba’s attacking movements in motions with accurate passes. Like all great footballers, Daga seems to have more time on the ball than other players and keeps thing beautifully simply yet clinically effective. He is destined for big things in future.