Former Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi has shared his thoughts on the invitation of diaspora players to the national team.
The 36-year-old believes that players of African descent playing in Europe should take pride in representing their roots and shouldn’t need to be persuaded to play for their country of origin.
Speaking on his ObiOne Podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder noted that many players wait for call-ups from countries like England and France, treating their African countries as second options.
"I have talked extensively about players not representing their African roots. We meet with these kids and their parents and say, 'Listen, you're from Nigeria, your dad is Nigerian, your mum is Nigerian—why don't you represent your fatherland?' They often respond, 'We want to play for England, France, whatever it is,' and then they wait. When they turn 25 or 26 and don’t receive a call-up from England, they then consider Nigeria."
"We shouldn’t be treated as a second option. You should be proud of your African roots and your African country. I want the best players to play in Africa, so you should make a decision and stand by it."
Among the players of Nigerian descent who have chosen to represent other countries instead of the Super Eagles are David Alaba, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Zirkzee, Tammy Abraham, Michael Olise, and Dele Alli, among others.
Agree or Disagree with Mikel Obi???
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