Yusuf Lawal

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Yusuf Lawal

| fullname =

| image =

| caption = Lawal with Neftçi Baku in 2022

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1998|3|23}}

| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria

| height = 1.75m

| currentclub = Zira

| clubnumber = 24

| position = Left winger

| youthyears1 = 2011–2017

| youthclubs1 = 36 Lion FC

| years1 = 2017–2020 | clubs1 = Lokeren | caps1 = 22 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2022 | clubs2 = Neftçi Baku | caps2 = 69 | goals2 = 4

| years3 = 2023–2024 | clubs3 = Arouca | caps3 = 26 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2024– | clubs4 = Zira | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 0

| pcupdate = 8 April 2025

}}

Yusuf Lawal (born 23 March 1998), nicknamed Obagol,{{cite web|url=http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/09/05/lokeren-new-signing-obagol-yusuf-lawal-will-play-in-premier-league-agent/|title=Lokeren new signing ‘Obagol’ Yusuf Lawal will play in Premier League – Agent - SCORE NIGERIA|first=|last=admin|website=scorenigeria.com.ng}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Azerbaijan Premier League club Zira.

Club career

Lawal has been a youth product of 36 Lion FC in Lagos since 2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.36lionfc.com/lawalyusuf.php|title=Lawal Yusuf - Official Site - 36Lion Football Club|first=|last=36Lion|website=www.36lionfc.com}} and gained the nickname Obagoal because of the similarity of his play to Obafemi Martins. He signed a 3+1 year contract with Lokeren in the summer of 2017.{{cite web|url=http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/09/16/obagoal-yusuf-lawal-scores-first-goal-for-lokeren/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916123917/http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/09/16/obagoal-yusuf-lawal-scores-first-goal-for-lokeren/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 16, 2017|title=‘Obagoal’ Yusuf Lawal scores first goal for Lokeren - SCORE NIGERIA|first=|last=admin|website=scorenigeria.com.ng}} Lawal made his professional debut for Lokeren in a 3-0 Belgian First Division A win over Eupen on 14 April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2018/04/14/belgium/uefa-europa-league-play-offs/sporting-lokeren-oost-vlaanderen/koninklijke-as-eupen/2753754/|title=Lokeren vs. AS Eupen - 14 April 2018 - Soccerway|website=us.soccerway.com}}

On 16 July 2020, Lawal signed a 2+1 year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League side Neftçi PFK.{{cite web |title=Nigeriyalı futbolçu "Neftçi"də |url=http://neftchipfk.com/az/allnews/3415/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716231107/http://neftchipfk.com/az/allnews/3415/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |website=neftchipfk.com/ |publisher=Neftçi PFK |language=Azerbaijani |date=16 July 2020}}

{{cite web|publisher=Sportinfo|url=https://www.sportinfo.az/idman_xeberleri/neftci/152589.html/|title=Yusuf Laval 300 min dollar istəyir – "Neftçi"dən ayrılmaq üçün}} Yusuf Lawal scored his last goal against Sabah FK in a match played in Azerbaijan Premier League on August 20, 2022.{{cite web |title= Yusuf Lawal'ın maaşı şaşkına çevirdi|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/spor/galatasaray-neftci-macinda-dikkatleri-uzerine-ceken-yusuf-lawalin-maasi-saskina-cevirdi-3567681|website=Yeni Şafak/|language=Turkish |date=18 September 2020}}{{cite web |title= Yusuf Laval: "Bizi güclü rəqiblə çətin oyun gözləyir"|url=https://qol.az/news/176801-yusuf-laval-bizi-guclu-reqible-cetin-oyun-gozleyir|website=Qol Az/|language= Azerbaijani |date=10 August 2022}}{{cite web |title= Yusuf Laval "Neftçi"dən gedir?|url=https://idmantv.az/az/news/6912/yusuf-laval-neftciden-gedir/|website=İdman Tv/|language= Azerbaijani |date=30 September 2022}}

On 10 September 2024, Lawal returned to the Azerbaijan Premier League, signing a 2+1 year contract with Zira.{{cite web |title=‘Zira’ has signed a new player. |url=https://www.facebook.com/fc.zire/videos/807461301459625 |website=facebook.com/fc.zire |publisher=Zira FK Facebook |access-date=11 September 2024 |date=10 September 2024}}

International career

Lawal was called up to a training camp for the Nigeria national under-23 football team in preparation for the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, but did not make the final squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/151009/Siasia_calls_up_30_for_U23_camp|title=Siasia calls up 30 for U23 camp|publisher=}}