The story
behind the
number.

Karim Okuneye, the U16 player, is a native of Ogun State, Nigeria. He grew up in Lagos and became obsessed with football at the age of 4. At a very young age, he was inspired by Messi’s skills and would watch football matches all day long.

For as long as he can remember, Karim plays football every day, with no day off — from major team matches to street play-offs, he just can’t seem to get enough. He is a very composed midfielder with skills like La Croqueta, the roulette, the step overs and the elastico.

Karim began his football journey with Determined Stars F.A, where the team has recorded multiple victories since his arrival. Known for his calmness on the ball and intelligent, simple style of play, his game draws inspiration from midfield maestros such as Pedri and Andrés Iniesta — two players he closely studies to refine his understanding of the game.

A defining moment in Karim’s career came during a match at a renowned stadium in Surulere, Lagos, where he caught the attention of the CEO of F8ballers Africa. Impressed by his performance, the academy immediately began the process of bringing him into their system.

Reflecting on the standout moment of his career so far, Karim describes being scouted by one of Lagos State’s leading football academies as a major milestone — a significant step forward in his development and professional journey.

Karim sees football as a game of rhythm, positioning, and intelligence rather than noise. He studies midfielders like Pedri and Andrés Iniesta because of the way they manipulate space with small details — the half-turn under pressure, the disguised pass between lines, the ability to slow the game down before accelerating it again with one touch. Rather than chasing flashy statistics or unnecessary moments on the ball, Karim values control, progression, and decision-making. His focus is on helping the team dominate possession, connect phases of play, and create advantages through intelligent movement and composure.

As he continues his development with F8ballers Africa, Karim is pushing toward a higher level of the game — building himself into a modern midfielder capable of controlling matches at elite level through technical quality, tactical awareness, and consistency. He wants to be remembered not only as a talented player, but as a midfielder who made the game feel simple, elevated the players around him, and left every pitch with intelligence and reliability written all over his performance.