Nigeria vs Portugal: Why I wanted Pepe’s jersey - Finidi

Assistant Super Eagles coach Finidi George has cleared the air on the reason why he attempted to get a shirt from Portuguese defender Pepe after Thursday’s friendly in Lisbon.

Finidi was berated across social media platforms for supposedly jostling for a jersey with a Super Eagles player, Moses Simon.

However, the former Ajax star has told PREMIUM TIMES what transpired at the Estadio Jose Alavavade; adding that the issue has been largely misrepresented.

Finidi explained that the request for Pepe’s jersey was not for himself but based on his son’s request to get the jersey of either of the former Real Madrid Stars – Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo – because the son is a fan of both players.

“My son asked me two weeks ago if it’s possible to get the shirt of Ronaldo or Pepe because he’s a very big fan of Real Madrid when they were at the club and I told him I will try.

“Getting to the field, we knew Ronaldo wasn’t going to start because he was sick. So I told Pepe in the tunnel, please after the game, I would like to have the shirt for my son. So, he told me that was fine. After the game, I saw he was changing his shirt with one of the players and I went to remind him of what we said in the tunnel before the game started.”

He said he was going to give his shirt to somebody else, a player, a Super Eagles player playing in his club (Porto), and that definitely, I will get the shirt. I was speaking Spanish with him and that was it.”

Finidi wondered why many people were trying to make an issue where there was none. He said he has long gone beyond being star-struck and jostling for jerseys for his personal use.

“People just want to twist things and the real reason for me. I’ve had many jerseys in my playing days and I don’t need Pepe’s shirt for myself. Where am I going to keep it? I don’t have a museum. It’s just that my son is a big fan and wanted me to ask …

“That’s what I did. I don’t know how getting something for my son and becomes viral on Social Media. It’s crazy mehn! I thought we should be talking about the game. But it was like I’m trending.” Finidi added.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria lost the match 0-4 to their Portuguese counterpart.