Alhassan Yusuf made a statement in his return to the Nigerian National Team, scoring a brace against Jamaica to lift a second consecutive Unity Cup.

Yusuf wasn't called in for the African Cup of Nations – which ran from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026 – because the New England Revolution weren't in season.

The midfielder understood the decision – saying "no hard feelings" – but also wanted to make the most of his next call-up.

He certainly did that.

Yusuf had 90-minute performances in a 2-0 win against Zimbabwe on May 26th and a 3-0 win over Jamaica on May 30th. The second outing was one to remember, as he scored his first-ever international goals.

The first came in the third minute at the back post. Then, in the 91st minute, he made a darting run forward that ended in a picturesque finish.

"Really good moment for me to show the coach what I can give to the team," Yusuf said. "I was kind of on and off, especially with the AFCON when we were off for the season, so I didn't go. I wanted to show him that I can still give something to the team."

Known as a player with an incredible motor and innate positioning, Yusuf can also get into the attack. He has two goals in 14 appearances for the Revs this year, which matches his output in 2025.

"I would say we kind of play in a similar way, trying to progress the ball and get involved, and then we go to the attack," Yusuf said when comparing the Revs to Nigeria. "I think it really helped me when playing with the national team. We have so many similarities in the way we're playing."

Yusuf noted that his two goals elicited plenty of texts from his Revolution teammates. Having seen how he works on a daily basis, they weren't surprised to see him shine on the international stage.

"He can run forever," Jackson Yueill said. "It's one of the qualities that I don't think a lot of people see: his ability to cover ground.

"I personally think his ability to turn out of spaces under pressure is very, very good. With the ball, he's very good. He makes very smart plays, and he's always available in tight situations. Playing with him has been a lot of fun.

"I think he's deserving of those two goals. I think last preseason he had like four or five bangers, so he definitely has the goal-scoring capability."