According to a report by OwnGoalNigeria on Monday, November 2, 2026, Al Ain goalkeeper Hassan Sani was reportedly left emotional after learning that representing Nigeria could put his position and future at the UAE club at risk.

The 20-year-old goalkeeper had received an invitation from Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle, who wanted him to join the squad for the international friendly against Russia. The invitation presented an opportunity for the young player to take another step towards achieving his ambition of representing Nigeria at the international level.

However, Sani was unable to accept the invitation because of concerns surrounding the regulations for foreign goalkeepers in the United Arab Emirates league. The situation has placed him in a difficult position, as choosing to represent Nigeria could affect his status at Al Ain and threaten his chances of continuing his career with the club.

Sani has already been granted UAE citizenship and currently enjoys local-player status at Al Ain. This arrangement allows the club to register him as a domestic player rather than count him among its foreign players. However, representing Nigeria could complicate his current position and potentially affect his place in the team.

A representative of the goalkeeper explained that Sani was deeply disappointed when he learned about the possible consequences. According to the representative, playing for Nigeria has always been one of the youngster’s biggest dreams, making the situation particularly difficult for him.

“He [Sani] was in tears when he was told he can’t play for Nigeria, as he would lose his spot at the club and possibly jeopardise his career. His dream has always been to play for Nigeria, but sadly, his main option now is to play for the UAE,” the representative was quoted as saying.

The representative also acknowledged that some career decisions are influenced by circumstances beyond a player’s control. He added that Sani would have to accept the situation and consider the opportunities available to him.

Meanwhile, the development represents another challenge for Chelle as he continues to assess players ahead of Nigeria’s preparations for the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2028 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Eagles are scheduled to face the Democratic Republic of Congo in a two-legged qualifying encounter in November. Nigeria will play the first leg in Lubumbashi on November 13 before hosting the return fixture at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on November 17.

With his international future uncertain, Sani may eventually have to consider representing the UAE, the country that has granted him citizenship, if he remains eligible to do so.