Isaac Success

Isaac Success Ajayi (born 7 January 1996) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Al Wasl as a forward.

Isaac Success

Personal information
Full name	Isaac Success Ajayi[1]
Date of birth	(1996-01-07) 7 January 1996 (age 29)[2]
Place of birth	Benin City, Nigeria
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Al Wasl
Number	90
Youth career
	BJ Foundation
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2015	Granada B	20	(9)
2014–2016	Granada	49	(7)
2016–2021	Watford	64	(3)
2018	→ Málaga (loan)	9	(0)
2021–2024	Udinese	79	(4)
2024–2025	Al Wasl	0	(0)
International career‡
2013	Nigeria U17	7	(7)
2015–2016	Nigeria U20	4	(2)
2017–	Nigeria	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 August 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 August 2022

Club career

Success was born in Benin City. He started his career with local side BJ Foundation Academy appearing regularly for the side.^[3]

In November 2013 Success agreed to a five-year deal with Udinese, starting January 2014,^[4] for a €400,000 fee.^[5] However, he was only granted a work permit in March of the following year,^[6] and immediately joined Granada CF, being assigned to the reserves in Segunda División B.^[7]

On 31 August 2014, Success made his first-team debut, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Elche CF at the age of 18 years and seven months,^[8] being their youngest player ever to appear in a La Liga match.^[9] He scored his first professional goal on 7 December, netting his side's only of a home draw against Valencia CF, for the same scoreline.^[10] On 7 August 2015, Success extended his link with the club, signing until 2019 and being permanently promoted to the main squad.^[11]

On 1 July 2016, Success agreed a five-year deal with Watford in a record transfer fee, estimated around £12.5 million from Granada.^[12] He scored once in 19 appearances in the 2016–17 season and, after just one appearance in 2017–18 was loaned to Malaga on 31 January 2018.^[13]

On 26 August 2021, Success signed for Italian club Udinese on a three-year deal.^[14][15]

On 27 August 2024, his contract with Udinese was terminated by mutual consent.^[16]

International career

In 2013 Success was called up to Nigeria under-17's for the year's FIFA U-17 World Cup, being also named vice-captain. He appeared in the first two games, but was sidelined during the rest of the tournament due to an injury.^[17] Success got his first call up to the senior Nigeria side for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zambia in October 2016.^[18] On 23 March 2017, Success made his debut for Nigeria, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Senegal at The Hive Stadium in London.^[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 May 2024^[20]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Granada B	2013–14	Segunda División B	5	3	—		—		—		5	3
	2014–15		15	6	—		—		—		15	6
	Total		20	9	—		—		—		20	9
Granada	2014–15[21]	La Liga	19	1	4	0	—		—		23	1
	2015–16[22]		30	6	3	0	—		—		33	6
	Total		49	7	7	0	—		—		56	7
Watford	2016–17[23]	Premier League	19	1	0	0	0	0	—		19	1
	2017–18[24]		0	0	0	0	1	0	—		1	0
	2018–19[25]		30	1	3	1	2	2	—		35	4
	2019–20[26]		5	0	1	0	1	0	—		7	0
	2020–21[27]	Championship	10	1	0	0	0	0	—		10	1
	Total		64	3	4	1	4	2	—		72	6
Málaga (loan)	2017–18	La Liga	9	0	0	0	—		—		9	0
Udinese	2021–22[28]	Serie A	22	2	2	1	—		—		24	3
	2022–23[29]		30	1	2	1	—		—		32	2
	2023–24[30]		27	1	0	0	—		—		27	1
	Total		79	4	4	2	—		—		83	6
Career total			220	23	15	3	4	2	0	0	239	28

Honours

Watford

• FA Cup runner-up: 2018–19^[31]