Emmanuel Michael

Emmanuel Michael (born 16 June 2006) is a Nigerian footballer who currently plays as a full-back for Austrian Bundesliga club LASK.

Club career Michael was scouted by the Simoiben Football Academy when he was playing barefoot on the streets of Kaduna. Following impressive performances with the academy and Nigeria's under-17 side, he was scouted by Danish and Spanish sides Midtjylland and Huesca, respectively.

Despite this interest, he joined Nigeria Premier Football League side Gombe United on a year-long loan deal in October 2023. In the same month, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide.

In August 2024, he joined Austrian side LASK, being assigned to the club's 'B' team, Juniors OÖ.

International career Called up to the Nigerian under-17 squad for 2023 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification (named the 2022 WAFU-B U17), Michael scored in the opening game, a 4–2 win against Ghana. He followed this up with a brace in a 3–1 win against the Ivory Coast, earning three consecutive Man of the Match awards.

Having helped his side win the 2022 WAFU-B U17, he was honoured by his teammates at the Simoiben Football Academy on his return to Nigeria. It was later revealed that he almost missed the tournament; having arrived late to a training camp, the Nigerian coaches initially wanted him excluded from the team, but after a meeting between president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and the owner of Simoiben Football Academy, Nigeria international Moses Simon, he was reinstated.

He was called up to the provisional under-20 squad for the 2023 African Games, but missed out on the final squad due to an ankle injury.

Style of play A free-kick specialist, Michael credited Nigerian international Moses Simon for providing him with boots after he scored from a free-kick in Nigeria under-17's win against Ghana in qualification for the 2023 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored a further two free-kicks in a 3–1 win against Ivory Coast in the same qualification tournament.

Career statistics

Club

Honours LASK Austrian Bundesliga: 2025–26 Austrian Cup: 2025–26