{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (born 2002)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Samson Tijani | image= FC RB Salzburg gegen LASK (Cupviertelfinale 6. Februar 2022) 54.jpg | caption = Tijani in 2022 | fullname = Samson Okikiola Tijani<ref name="u17">{{Cite web |title=FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil - List of Players |url=https://www.fifadata.com/documents/FU17WC/2019/pdf/FU17WC_2019_Squadlists.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227222540/https://www.fifadata.com/documents/FU17WC/2019/pdf/FU17WC_2019_Squadlists.pdf |archive-date=27 December 2019 |access-date=27 December 2019 |website=fifadata.com |publisher=FIFA |page=18}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|5|17|df=y}}<ref name="u17" /> | birth_place = Enugu, Nigeria | height = 1.75 m<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/en/squad/samson-tijani |title=Samson Tijani |publisher=FC Red Bull Salzburg |access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref> | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Dukla Prague | clubnumber = 14 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2020 | youthclubs1 = Collins Edwin Sports Club | youthyears2 = 2019–2020 | youthclubs2 = → FDC Vista Gelendzhik (loan) | years1 = 2020–2025 | clubs1 = Red Bull Salzburg | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2020–2021 | clubs2 = → TSV Hartberg (loan) | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2021–2022 | clubs3 = → FC Liefering (loan) | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2023–2024 | clubs4 = → Wolfsberger AC (loan) | caps4 = 27 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2024 | clubs5 = → Fredrikstad (loan) | caps5 = 3 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2025– | clubs6 = Dukla Prague | caps6 = 24 | goals6 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2019 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria U17 | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 2 | nationalyears2 = 2020– | nationalteam2 = Nigeria | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | club-update = 15 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 31 December 2022 }} '''Samson Okikiola Tijani''' (born 17 May 2002) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Czech First League club Dukla Prague. He also represents the Nigeria national team.
==Club career== ===Red Bull Salzburg=== Tijani began his career with Collins Edwin Sports Club before signing with Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg on 17 July 2020. <ref name="RedBull">{{cite news |title=Red Bull Salzburg celebrate signing teen sensation Samson Okikiola Tijani |url=https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/fc-red-bull-salzburg-sign-samson-okikiola-tijani |accessdate=2 October 2020 |publisher=Red Bull |date=17 July 2020}}</ref>
In the 2021–22 winter break, Tijani was promoted to Red Bull Salzburg's main squad.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=FC Red Bull Salzburg|url=https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/en/fc-red-bull-salzburg/news/saison_2021_22/get-to-know-samson-tijani-video-interview.html|title="THAT'S THE REASON I LOVE IT HERE"|date=9 February 2022|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> On 6 February 2022, Tijani made his professional debut for the club in the Cup match against LASK. He came in in the 89th minute for Nicolas Capaldo in a 3–1 win.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wir stürmen ins Halbfinale! |url=https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/de/fc-red-bull-salzburg/news/saison_2021_22/spielbericht-lask-uniqa-oefb-cup-viertelfinale.html |website=Red Bull Salzburg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Samson Tijani hat ein Ticket|url=https://www.kicker.de/salzburg-ueberrascht-bei-champions-league-nachnominierung-888660/artikel|website=Kicker}}</ref>
In the match played with Austria Wien on 22 July 2022, fractures occurred in his tibia and lower muscle, and he had to leave the game.<ref>{{cite web|title=Salzburg's Samson Tijani out for Months after Severe Fracture|url=https://www.footballlive.ng/salzburgs-samson-tijani-out-for-months-after-severe-fracture/|website=footballlive|access-date=26 December 2022|archive-date=25 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325192951/https://www.footballlive.ng/salzburgs-samson-tijani-out-for-months-after-severe-fracture/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
====Loan to TSV Hartberg==== A month later, on 14 August, Tijani was loaned out to TSV Hartberg for the season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oludare |first1=Shina |title=FC Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Tijani loaned to TSV Hartberg |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/fc-red-bull-salzburg-midfielder-tijani-loaned-to-tsv/1loog4gcz8gfp1x9qbu6kkarts |accessdate=2 October 2020 |work=Goal.com |date=14 August 2020}}</ref> He made his competitive debut for the club on 30 August against Dornbirner SV in the Austrian Cup. He started and played the full match as Hartberg won 7–0.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dornbirner 0–7 Hartberg |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2020/08/30/austria/ofb-stiegl-cup/dornbirner-sv/tsv-hartberg/3323347/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Samson Tijani makes Champions League debut as RB Salzburg suffer Bayern Munich obliteration|url=https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/samson-tijani-makes-champions-league-debut-as-rb-salzburg-suffer-bayern-munich-obliteration/blt11b3f4d9e67433c7|website=Goal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Salzburgs Tijani bei Testspiel schwer verletzt|url=https://www.skysportaustria.at/salzburgs-tijani-bei-testspiel-schwer-verletzt/|website=Sky Sports Austria|date=10 July 2022 }}</ref> On 12 September 2020, Tijani made his professional debut for the club in the league against Rheindorf Altach. He started and played 71 minutes in a 1–1 draw.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rheindorf Altach 1–1 Hartberg |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2020/09/12/austria/bundesliga/sc-rheindorf-altach/tsv-hartberg/3341870/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref> He had a successful performance in the 18 games he played there, but did not contribute any goals or assists.
====Loan to FC Liefering==== On 1 July 2021 Tijani was loaned out to FC Liefering on a season long loan.
====Loan to Wolfsberger AC==== On 23 August 2023, Tijani joined Wolfsberger AC on a season-long loan deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rzpelletswac.at/2023/08/23/neuer-mittelfeldspieler-im-wolfsrudel/|trans-title=New midfielder in the wolf pack|title= Neuer Mittelfeldspieler im Wolfsrudel|language=German|website=rzpelletswac.at|date=23 August 2023|accessdate=23 August 2023}}</ref>
====Loan to Fredrikstad==== On 3 September 2024, he joined Norwegian Eliteserien club Fredrikstad, on loan until the end of the year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/en/recent/news/samson-tijani-wechselt-zu-fredrikstad | title=Samson Tijani moves to Fredrikstad |website= FC Red Bull Salzburg | date=3 September 2024 }}</ref>
===Dukla Prague=== On 20 June 2025, Tijani signed a multi-year contract with Czech First League club Dukla Prague as a free agent.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-dukla-ma-posilu-ze-salcburku-prichazi-nigerijsky-zaloznik-tijani-5250041 | title=Dukla má posilu ze Salcburku. Přichází nigerijský záložník Tijani |website= Sport.cz | date=20 June 2025|access-date=20 June 2025|language=cs|agency=Czech News Agency|publisher=Borgis}}</ref>
==International career== Tijani was part of the Nigeria side to compete in the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, Where they came 4th and qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.<ref name="RedBull"/> During his team's opening match against Hungary, Tijani scored a brace as Nigeria U17 won 4–2.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nigeria U17 4–2 Hungary U17 |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2019/10/26/world/u17-world-cup/nigeria-under-17/hungary-under-17/3070642/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref> Tijani made his debut with the senior Nigeria national team in a friendly 1-0 loss to Algeria on 9 October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2020/10/09/world/friendlies/nigeria/algeria/3365306/|title=Nigeria vs. Algeria - 9 October 2020|website=Soccerway}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|match played 28 September 2024}}<ref name="soccerway">{{soccerway|samson-okikiola-tijani/606535}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=5|Red Bull Salzburg |2020–21 |Austrian Bundesliga |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2021–22 |Austrian Bundesliga |3||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}}||0||colspan="2"|—||5||0 |- |2022–23 |Austrian Bundesliga |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |2024–25 |Austrian Bundesliga |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan=2|Total !3!!0!!1!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!5!!0 |- |TSV Hartberg (loan) |2020–21 |Austrian Bundesliga |14||0||3||0||1{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}}||0||colspan="2"|—||18||0 |- |FC Liefering (loan) |2021–22 |2. Liga |16||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |Wolfsberger AC (loan) |2023–24 |Austrian Bundesliga |27||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||28||1 |- |Fredrikstad (loan) |2024 |Eliteserien |3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0 |- !colspan=3|Career total !63||0||6||0||2||0||0||0||71||1 |} {{notelist}}
===International=== {{updated|match played 9 October 2020}}
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |Nigeria |2020||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!1!!0 |}
==Honours== *Austrian Bundesliga: 2021-22 *Austrian Cup: 2021-22
'''Fredrikstad''' *Norwegian Cup: 2024
==References== {{reflist}}
{{FK Dukla Prague squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tijani, Samson}} Category:2002 births Category:Footballers from Enugu Category:Living people Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Nigeria men's youth international footballers Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:FC Red Bull Salzburg players Category:FC Liefering players Category:TSV Hartberg players Category:Wolfsberger AC players Category:Fredrikstad FK players Category:Austrian Football Bundesliga players Category:2. Liga (Austria) players Category:Eliteserien players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Austria Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Austria Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Norway Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Norway Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen Category:FK Dukla Prague players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Czech Republic Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the Czech Republic