Newcastle Striker Deals NFF Late 2024 Setback After Moving Closer to Playing for Denmark
- The Nigerian Football Federation are set to be dealt a final late blow in 2024 by a player of dual nationality
- NFF have been making efforts at players with multiple nationalities to switch allegiance and play for Nigeria
- A Nigeria-eligible Newcastle United striker has dropped a huge hint he will play for his European country Denmark
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The Nigerian Football Federation are set to receive one final blow for the year 2024 after a Nigeria-eligible star playing for an English Premier League club hinted he would play for his European country.
NFF, in recent years, have been on the chase of dual nationals and getting some of them to switch their international allegiance and represent the three-time African champions.
Source: Getty Images
Leon Balogun, Alex Iwobi, William Troost-Ekong, and CAF Men's Player of the Year Ademola Lookman are some success stories that ditched European countries to play for Nigeria.
There have been many other unsuccessful ones, including Manchester United star Joshua Zirkzee, who opted for the Netherlands, and Folarin Balogun, who opted to play for the United States of America.
Others have yet to decide, including Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo and other young players across European leagues.
Osula hints at snubbing Nigeria
Newcastle United striker William Osula has dropped a huge hint he will snub the Super Eagles of Nigeria to play for European country Denmark, which he has played for at youth levels.
“Hopefully, one day I can also play for a national team,” he told Danish media Tipsbladet in 2022 after playing a youth game for Denmark. I feel at home in Denmark. I lived there, was born in Denmark and raised in Copenhagen. It's great to represent Denmark, which is a big part of me.”
Who is William Osula?
William Idemudia Osula is a 2003-born striker who was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, to a Nigerian father and a Danish mother, making him eligible for both countries.
He came through the ranks at Copenhagen’s academy before he moved to England to join Sheffield United in 2018, earning promotion to their first team in 2022.
He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Derby County before moving permanently to join Newcastle United in January 2024, where he is a first-team member.
As noted by Transfermarkt, he has played 158 minutes across nine games in all competitions, including 90 minutes against AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
He was named in the matchday squad for the Magpies’ 2-0 win over Manchester United on December 30, 2024.
Osula has earned 11 caps for the Denmark U21 team but has yet to earn a senior call-up for the Red and White, leaving the door open for Nigeria to enter discussions with him.
Akpoguma reflects on club career
Legit.ng reported that Kevin Akpoguma reflected on his Hoffenheim career amid an ongoing Nigerian national team snub, which has been ongoing for more than a year.
The German-born defender claimed he is happy with how consistency has helped him go far in his career, even though he is not among the most talented at the Bundesliga club.
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Source: Legit.ng
