There are several Nigerian-born football players across the globe, who have chosen to represent other countries, rather than donning the Nigerian Green and White Jersey of the Super Eagles. Here is a list of some of these players and countries they chose to represent. Note that this list (in no particular order), is not exhaustive, as the numbers grow by the day.
ENGLAND
– BUKAYO SAKA
On 1 October, Saka was called up to the England senior squad for the first time and made his international debut as one of the starters in a 3–0 victory over Wales. Having played four times for England, Saka is now tied to England internationally and can no longer represent Nigeria.
– DELE ALLI
Bamidele Jermaine “Dele” Alli was born in Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire, to a Yoruba Nigerian father, Kehinde, and an English mother, Denise. Kehinde moved to the United States a week after Alli’s birth. He was initially brought up by his mother, who suffered from alcohol problems. At the age of nine, he moved to Nigeria with his father, where he spent two years in an international school
– JOHN FASHANU
Fashanu represented England at full international level, gaining two caps against Chile and Scotland in the 1989 Rous Cup, due to his good form at club level for his then club Wimbledon. He was also eligible to play for Nigeria, and since retiring, he has expressed regret in not being able to do so.
– UGO EHIOGU
The first black player to captain an England team in a competitive match in a game for the England U21 team against the Netherlands.
– CARLTON COLE
Carlton Michael George Cole is a striker. He made England under-21 appearances (scoring six goals) and made his debut for the England national team on 11 February 2009 in a friendly match against Spain. With seven appearances for England, all from the substitutes’ bench, which is, as of June 2021, a national record.
– GABRIEL AGBONLAHOR
Gabriel Imuetinyan Agbonlahor made his senior international debut for England in 2008 and earned three caps.
Agbonlahor’s ancestry qualified him to play for Scotland or Nigeria at the international level, but he chose to play for his homeland of England. On 20 September 2006, Agbonlahor was pencilled in as a player in the Nigeria under-20 team for the match against Rwanda. He turned down the call whilst not ruling out playing for the country in the future but subsequently pledged his future to England.
Among other stars who chose the Three Lions of England are Ross Barkley, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, Eberechi Eze and all eyes are on Tosin Adarabioyo, as he yet to make his final decision between England and Nigeria — after turning down the opportunity to play for the Super Eagles, once.
GERMANY
– KARIM ADEYEMI
Adeyemi was born in Munich, Germany, to a Nigerian father and Romanian mother. In November 2022, he was named in the German squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[18] However, he did not feature in any match, as Germany were knocked out at the group stage.
– JAMAL MUSIALA
Musiala, who was also eligible to play for Nigeria via his father, represented both England and Germany at youth international level.
FRANCE
– MICHAEL AKPOVIE OLISE
Born 12 December 200, Olise is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and winger for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Born in England, he plays for the France national team.
Olise was born in White City, Greater London, England, and raised in Hayes, Greater London, to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother. In an interview with FC Bayern Magazine 51, when asked about his nationality he said “I actually come from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria and Great Britain. I consider myself very lucky to possess these four parts, which all enrich me. I feel each individual part in me, I’ve developed attachments in all my countries.”
NETHERLANDS
– JOSHUA ZIRKZEE
Born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother, Zirkzee was a youth international for the Netherlands.
SWITZERLAND
– MANUEL AKANJI
Manuel Obafemi Akanji (born 19 July 1995), is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Manchester City and the Switzerland national team.
Akanji was born in Wiesendangen, Switzerland, to a Swiss mother and a Nigerian father. His sister Sarah is a former footballer for FC Winterthur Frauen and Social Democratic Party of Switzerland politician.
In 2017, already a professional player, he completed his vocational training as a tradesman (″Kaufmann″). On Swiss TV in 2018 he showed excellent skills at mental calculation.
– NOAH OKAFOR
Born in Binningen, Switzerland, Okafor is the son of a Nigerian Igbo father and a Swiss mother. His younger brothers Elijah and Isaiah are also footballers.
ITALY
MICHAEL FOLORUNSHO
He is a Nigerian descent. In March 2024, Folorunsho received his first call-up to play for Italian senior squad from head coach Luciano Spalletti.
Stefano Chuka Okaka gained Italian citizenship in 2007 and was swayed away from possibility of him switching allegiance to his parents’ country as Antonio Conte invited him to Italian Camp alongside Angelo Ogbonna.
Several Nigerian-born players have represented the Italian national team, the Azzurri. These include Destiny Udogie, who debuted in 2023 and currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur. Michael Folorunsho, who received his first senior call-up in March 2024, was part of the Euro 2024 squad. Additionally, Michael Kayode has represented Italy at various youth levels and aims to play for the senior team, according to The Nation Newspaper. Another player of Nigerian descent, Luca Koleosho, was also highlighted by the Italian coach as being monitored for the senior team.
AUSTRIA
– DAVID ALABA
Alaba was born in Vienna to George and Gina Alaba and has one sister, a professional recording artist named Rose May Alaba. His Yoruba Nigerian father chose to represent Austria from U-17.
TOGO
SHEYI EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR
Adebayor was also eligible to play for Nigeria but chose to represent the country of his birth, Togo. Adebayor helped Togo qualify for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations after scoring 11 goals in the qualifiers, more than any other player in the African qualifiers. On 10 February 2009, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) picked Adebayor as the African Footballer of the Year for 2008 at an awards ceremony held in Lagos, Nigeria and Emmanuel Mathias who was born in Kaduna and played for Heartland in 2012 but chose to represent Togo.
Apart from the aforementioned lists, here are some other players who have chosen another country to represent rather than representing the Giant of Africa.
Joel Chima Fujita (Japan)
Toto Tamuz (Isreal)
Precious Emuejeraye, Agu Casmir and Itimi Dickson (Singapore)
Rasak Omotoyosi, Muri Ogunbiyi (Benin)
Emmanuel Sarki (Haiti)
Ikechi Anya (Scotland)
Stephen Ademolu (Canada)
Barnes Colly Ezeh, Akandu Lawrence (Hong Kong )
Emmanuel Olisadebe (Poland)
Oguchi Onyewu, Amobi Okugo and Amaechi Igwe (USA)
Thiago Ilori (Portugal)
Victor Igbonefo and Greg Nwokolo (Indonesia)
Okonkwo Ifeanyi (Malta)
