Bundesliga Star Who Ditched England for Nigeria Eyes Super Eagles Return
- The Nigerian Football Federation intensified efforts in recent times to get players of dual nationality to switch
- A Bayer Leverkusen attacker is one of those who switched their international allegiance to represent Nigeria
- He has lacked playing time at the Bundesliga club, which has, in turn, affected his chances with the national team
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are loaded with attacking talents that players who are not performing at their club sides will struggle to get international call-ups.
Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are nailed-on starters for the national team when fit, while others have to fight for their spots even if they are scoring tons of goals at clubs.
Source: Instagram
The Nigerian Football Federation made efforts recently and successfully got some players with dual nationalities to switch their international allegiance and represent Nigeria.
Lookman is the most recent successful example, as he is already in contention to be the best footballer in Africa, about two years after switching his international allegiance.
Tella eyes Super Eagles' return
Bayer Leverkusen forward Nathan Tella ditched the country of his birth, England, and pledged allegiance to Nigeria in 2023, debuting against Rwanda in 2023.
He has yet to feature again since then and has openly expressed his desire to return to the national team, but admits he has to earn his place.
“Of course, it’s an honour to represent your country, but I have to play here more to get the recognition to play with the country, but I think it’s all about baby steps, keep getting better, keep improving, and if I continue to do the right things, I hope Nigeria will call me back,” he told Omasports TV.
“I can’t go just because of who I am, I have to earn the opportunity to play for Nigeria, and if I’m not playing well for my club, I have to work hard to get back into the team here, then the National team follows.”
As noted by Transfermarkt, Tella has featured 14 times for Leverkusen this season, most of which have come from the bench, with Xabi Alonso preferring other options.
Nigerian football analyst and OAP Taiwo Majekodunmi applauded Tella’s self-awareness to admit that he must earn his place in the national team and not be given on a platter.
“Wearing the nation's colours at a major football tournament is every player's dream, but it also comes at a cost. Over the years, we've seen how it is quite easy for players with dual Nationalities to get a national team call-up to the Super Eagles simply because they play in Europe,” he told Legit.ng
“This is no longer the case because this current Super Eagles squad is star-studded, and if you're not a level above the current crop of players, who continue to churn out good performances in the national team colours and for their respective clubs, it would be hard to be looked upon by the team handlers.”
He noted that this should be the mindset of others who appeared to have been abandoned, including Kevin Akpoguma and Josh Maja.
“I'm happy Nathan Tella has the self-awareness to know he must earn his place in the national team, which is indicative of the high competition for places in the current Super Eagles set-up. With his mentality, I believe it would push him to improve his game and change his situation at his club,” he said.
“The same applies to other players who are considering switching international allegiance, they now know that what qualifies you to get a national team call-up is not just by playing in a competitive league in Europe but by being consistent at the club you play for.”
“We are getting to the point where only the best is good enough to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, which is the ideal situation and what we all clamour for,” he concluded.
Kevin Akpoguma laments Eagles snub
Legit.ng also reported that Kevin Akpoguma lamented Super Eagles’ snub after failing to earn a national team call-up for over a year despite impressive performances for Hoffenheim.
The former Germany youth international opted to represent the three-time African champions in 2020 and has eight caps, the last of which came in September 2023.
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Source: Legit.ng
