Izuchukwu OkosiMany Nigerian football supporters dread the idea of the country losing more world class players of Nigerian heritage to other countries after the exploits of these players for their clubs and adopted countries.
Clear examples include – but not limited to – Bukayo Saka (England), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), David Alaba (Austria) and Jamal Musiala (Germany).
Most of these players will be in action this weekend and early next week during the international break. However Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka and David Alaba who represents Austria have both pulled out of their teams’ friendlies due to injury.
In this piece, Izuchukwu Okosi looks at some of the players that may have aided Nigeria become one of the elite football teams in the world but rather are turning out for their adopted nations in this window.
1. Manual Akanji (Switzerland)
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has been a mainstay for his adopted country and is expected to play for the Swiss as they face Denmark at 8pm Nigerian time on Saturday evening in an international friendly.
The player’s father is from the Yoruba speaking part of Nigeria and his mom is from Oberwinterthur in Switzerland.
Imagining a central defence of the Super Eagles with Akanji in it? Well despite his allegiance to the Swiss national team, Akanji has a tatoo of the Super Eagles on his arm which demonstrates that he appreciated his roots.
Manuel Akanji with a tattoo of the Super Eagles on his arm
”Nigeria never called me to come and play for them. So, it was never a question to be answered because Switzerland called me to play for them and I accepted,” Akanji told the media in 2018 during the FIFA World Cup .
”No regret at all for not playing for Nigeria. We came into the next round, Nigeria didn’t. And it was my decision. I don’t know if I would have played for Nigeria if I had been invited or not. Really I don’t know,” he added.
2. Destiny Udogie (Italy)
Born of parents from Nigeria, Udogie now plays for the Italian national team having made his debut at the European Nations League last year.
The left back, through his agent was insistent that the Tottenham Hotspur man will only play for the Azurri.
Presently he has three caps for his adopted nation and is one of only few players who have become relatively consistent
3. Jamal Musiala (Germany)
Germany will face deputy world champions, France in a high profile international friendly on Saturday night at 9pm Nigerian time.
“I could have played for Nigeria because it crossed my mind, and I thought about it well. I had good talks with Nigeria and Germany. So it really just came down to me and where I’d feel the most comfortable. So I decided to go with Germany,” Musiala told UK3.
Expect to see Jamal Musiala play some part in that game and for him to be instrumental to the Germans getting perhaps an unlikely win.
4. Joshua Zirkzee (Netherlands)
. It is unclear if Bologna young sensation, Joshua Zirkzee will be capped by the Netherlands in their international friendlies this weekend and early next week.
The striker who has a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother hinted that he could play for the Super Eagles if the Dutch handlers don’t deem him good enough.
That bait seemed to work as he was drafted into the team for their friendly matches.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
