Valencia player Umar Sadiq returns to Nigeria

The Nigerian striker has returned home for the holidays to his native village of Kaduna.

Details: The Real Sociedad player, who joined Valencia on loan in January 2025, hasn't forgotten his roots despite leaving home early to pursue his professional career.

Umar Sadiq, born in Kaduna in 1997, has come back to his hometown for the first time in a long while. On his social media, he posted several photos playing football on a dirt pitch with local children. As a gift, the hometown star brought them Valencia kits.

The posts were accompanied by the caption “Gargagiya”—a word in Hausa, widely spoken in East Africa, that means "tradition."

The pictures, taken at one of the fields of the Barnawa youth academy, were also shared by several Facebook accounts dedicated to the Nigerian national football team.

Umar Sadiq is under contract with Real Sociedad until 2028, but is currently on loan to Valencia until June 30.

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