Rahim Alhassane’s footballing journey started in Niger, with spells in Ghana and Austria before arriving in Spain as a teenager. He rose through the ranks at lesser-known clubs before breaking into professional football with Real Oviedo.
The left-back is now enjoying life in the Spanish first division and made his senior debut for Niger in 2022 while playing for Gimnastica Segoviana in the Spanish fourth tier.
Pushing for a place at the FIFA World Cup 26™, Niger face a pivotal double-header in September, with away fixtures against Morocco on 5 September and Tanzania on 9 September, as they attempt to keep their hopes alive for a history-making appearance at the tournament. FIFA caught up with Alhassane before embarking on his national team duties under coach Ezaki Badou.
Rahim Alhassane: As a player born in Niger 23 years ago, I have worked incredibly hard to make my dreams come true through football. It’s not been plain sailing. I first moved from Niger to Ghana, taking my first steps outside my home country. Then, I got the chance to move to Austria to play for Salzburg’s youth team, where I learnt so much, both on and off the pitch.
Later, I was offered the opportunity to come to Spain, and I joined Rayo Majadahonda’s youth set-up. It was a huge step for me. Since then, I’ve been growing and improving. I’m a dedicated, hard-working person who’s focused on giving my best every day. It has taken years of hard work to make my dreams come true. I’ve never given up on chasing my goals.
I learnt so much during those first few years. It hasn’t been easy, but I always knew that I wanted to be a professional footballer. That’s what I’ve been working towards since I was a child. Every training session and every match was a chance to prove to myself that I could make it big. Nothing ever came easily. Everything depended on working hard every day. That mindset kept me moving forward and believing in my dreams.
When I was called up to make my debut with the Niger national team, it was a dream come true, and something I didn’t expect at the time. I was at Gimnastica Segoviana, and the coach and captain contacted me out of the blue. They were very supportive and made me feel confident about representing my country. The first thing I did was call my family to tell them the news. It was a special moment. It’s a great source of pride to wear the Niger shirt and a motivation to keep working hard.
We know how tough both games will be, with two fierce opponents in Morocco and Tanzania. We’re aware that we’re still in the fight and it’s up to us to keep our options open. Plus, we need to pick up at least four points from these matches, and that’s what we’re going for. It’s easier said than done, but this team is determined and won’t give up fighting. Every minute counts, and we’ll be fighting to keep our dream of taking Niger to the World Cup alive.
I’m going through a special phase in my life right now. Getting promoted with Real Oviedo and being able to play in Spain’s top flight has been a dream come true, after many years of hard work and sacrifice. The future is all about the 2026 World Cup. That’s my main priority. I want to do my best for my national team and push hard so that Niger can make it to the World Cup for the first time. It would go down in history for my country and be a massive dream come true for me and everyone in my country.
Despite being far away, I can feel how much they care, especially on social media with messages of support and encouragement. My strength comes from that warmth, and it makes me proud to represent my country. It inspires me to keep working and giving my all, both at Real Oviedo and for the national team.
Being at the 2026 World Cup would be incredible, both for me and for the whole country. It would make the dream come true for that boy who left Niger wanting to be a footballer. For the country, it would be a historic moment. Getting to the World Cup would put Niger on the football map, putting our talent in the spotlight and giving our country a gigantic boost, as everyone dreams about seeing us play at the highest level. It would motivate the younger generations and reward those who have shown faith in us.
My first World Cup memory is the 2010 final between Spain and the Netherlands. I was just a kid, but I remember that match. That was when I dreamt of one day playing in the World Cup, representing my country. The most iconic image is definitely [Andres] Iniesta’s goal against the Netherlands. I can still picture how he controlled the ball and the way he shot. For many young people, it was an inspirational goal.
Photos courtesy of CAF
