Zaidu Sanusi

Early career

Born in Jega, Kebbi, the 19-year-old Sanusi signed with Gil Vicente F.C. of the Portuguese Primeira Liga in 2016. In January 2017, he was loaned to third division club SC Mirandela. Sanusi reached an agreement to join C.D. Santa Clara on 16 March 2019, with the deal being made effective on 1 July. He made his Portuguese top-flight debut on 15 September that year, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–0 home win against Moreirense FC. He scored his first goal in the competition on 23 June 2020, in a 4–3 away victory over S.L. Benfica which marked the Azoreans' first-ever at the Estádio da Luz.

Porto

On 30 August 2020, Sanusi signed a five-year contract with FC Porto. He scored his first goal on 25 November, opening a 2–1 win at Olympique de Marseille in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, being named in the tournament's Team of the Week. He won the first trophy of his career on 23 December, when he played the entire 2–0 defeat of Benfica in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, and finished his first year with 41 competitive matches, scoring in the 4–3 league win over C.D. Tondela. Sanusi remained first choice in the 2021–22 campaign despite the signing of Wendell, and scored the only goal in the 93rd minute of O Clássico against Benfica on 7 May 2022 to seal the club's 30th league title. Fifteen days later, he started and finished the final of the Taça de Portugal, defeating Tondela 3–1. In 2022–23, Sanusi fought for a starting place…

Sanusi made his debut for the Nigeria national team on 9 October 2020, in a 1–0 friendly defeat against Algeria in Klagenfurt. He earned his first official cap the following month, in the 4–4 home draw with Sierra Leone for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. At the finals in Cameroon, the team were eliminated in the last 16 by Tunisia; manager Augustine Eguavoen was criticised for ordering Sanusi and right-back Ola Aina not to attack before they were losing with ten men. Sanusi was also selected for the 2023 and 2025 continental tournaments.

Club

As of match played 29 August 2026

International

As of match played 10 June 2026

Porto

Primeira Liga: 2021–22, 2025–26 Taça de Portugal: 2021–22, 2022–23 Taça da Liga: 2022–23 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2020, 2022, 2026 Nigeria

Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2023; third place: 2025 Orders

Member of the Order of the Niger