Kiev’s Dynamo has announced the signing of a contract with 20-year-old Nigerian midfielder Shola Ogundana. The duration of the contract is four years.
Shola OgundanaShola was born on February 22, 2005, in the city of Ifaki (Nigeria). He began playing football at the Beyond Limits academy and later played at the Alex Transfiguration academy in Nigeria — these performances attracted the attention of scouts during the 2022 Torneo di Viareggio tournament. While playing back home for Remo Stars, in April 2023 he agreed to join Flamengo on loan, and in July of the following year, the Brazilian club bought out the player’s contract.
Together with the Flamengo U-20 team, Ogundana won the Copa Libertadores Sub-20 (in 2024 and 2025, being recognized as the best player of the tournament in the latter edition) and the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup (in 2024 and 2025).
Overall, he played 46 matches for the Flamengo youth team, scored 9 goals, and provided 7 assists in all competitions. While in Brazil, he earned the nickname “Nigerian Rocket” for his explosive speed and aggressive play on the wing.
He made his debut for Flamengo’s first team in the Brazilian Serie A on November 14, 2024, coming on as a substitute for Carlos Alcaraz in a match against Atlético Mineiro (0:0). Thus, Shola became the first Nigerian to play for Flamengo and only the third African in the club’s history.
