By Milcah Tanimu
Cyriel Dessers, the Nigerian striker for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, has confirmed an ankle injury suffered during the Scottish Cup final clash between his club, Glasgow Rangers, and Celtic on Saturday, May 25.
Despite starting the match in what seemed to be good form in his debut season at Rangers, Dessers was forced to leave the pitch prematurely due to the ankle injury.
In the opening minutes of the game, the 29-year-old forward was substituted out, making way for 22-year-old Senegalese forward Abdallah Sima. The match progressed with its share of intensity, including a goal disallowed for Rangers after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
However, Celtic sealed the deal with a 90th-minute winning goal by Adam Idah, securing a 1-0 victory and claiming the 2023-2024 Scottish Cup. This victory marked a significant achievement for Celtic, who had also clinched the Scottish Premiership title and the league cup earlier in the season.
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Dessers revealed the extent of his injury, citing the unbearable pain as the reason for his substitution.
“I got injured in the first half, after around 25 minutes, it’s my ankle,” Dessers explained. “I tried to go on because obviously it was the game of the year, the big final at the end of the season, one big push. But I had to come off. I’ll get it assessed in the next few days.”
Dessers, who joined Rangers from Italian club Cremonese in 2023, has been a pivotal player for the team, amassing 22 goals and 8 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions. Despite his contributions, he was notably absent from the Super Eagles’ squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.