In a great country like Nigeria, numerous talents abound. And in football particularly, this nation is never in short supply of gifted individuals. However, while some Nigerian footballers have grown from the ranks to stardom, adorning the great colours of the Super Eagles – the green and white – others have chosen to adorn the colours of other countries.

But whether this happens by dual nationalities, lack of opportunities to impress on the home front or outright decision to represent other countries, Nigeria can boast of a wealthy array of football talents in the diaspora.

While the likes of David Alaba, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Angelo Ogbonna and Nedum Onuoha may be already known players that have been added to the “what if” list of the Nigerian football history, there are a host of others who ply their trade in countries other than the country of their descent.


Below are the names of players who could have adorned the green-white-green of the national team but never did

Ross Barkley

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
As surprised as you may be, this is true. Ross Barkley is of Nigerian descent.

Born on the 5th December 1993, Barkley is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Chelsea FC and the England national team. He previously played for Everton FC and has played on loan for Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.


Barkley was born and raised in Liverpool. His paternal grandfather was Nigerian. He is eligible to play for both England and, through his paternal grandfather, Nigeria, but opted to represent his country of birth.

He has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20, under-21 and senior level.

Adebayo Akinfenwa
Akinfenwa Adebayp
Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Saheed Adebayo Akinfenwa (born 10th May 1982), also known as Adebayo Akinfenwa, has spent his entire career in the lower leagues of English football but has still achieved global fame, thanks to a computer game.

According to the makers of the top-selling football franchise, FIFA, Akinfenwa is the strongest player in the world, a title he is proud to accept.


The 32-year-old forward has never been considered a natural footballer, numerous rugby clubs and American universities have asked him to switch sports because of his size and power. But Akinfenwa has only ever been interested in football.

Standing at just 5ft 11in, Akinfenwa weighs more than 16 stone. He shares the same football history with Shola Ameobi but the latter got the opportunity, while at the age of 32, Akinfenwa has been overlooked by Nigeria coaches.

Sidney Sam
sidney
Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Sidney Sam (born 31st January 1988) is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for FC Schalke 04. Sam is known for his explosive speed and dribbling style on the line.

Born to a German mother and Nigerian father, Sam would have been eligible to play for the Nigerian national team but decided early on to represent his country of birth.


Sam was a German youth national player, starring in Germany’s under-19 and under-20 teams. On 29th May 2013, Sam made his senior international debut for Germany in a friendly game against Ecuador in Florida.

On 8th May 2014, Sam was named to the 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by German national team coach, Joachim Low.

Dennis Aogo
Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Dennis Aogo (born 14th January 1987) is a German professional footballer who plays as a left back, left wing-back or in the midfield for Schalke 04.

Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Aogo grew up in Oberreut, a suburb in the southwest of Karlsruhe. In 2000, when his parents split up, he moved with his father to Bruschsal.

In 2002, aged 15, he attended the youth academy of SC Freiburg while graduating with Mittlere Reife in Freiburg.

Nigeria gave him the chance to play for them at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa but on the 5th of January 2010, Aogo announced that he will only play for Germany.

He made his national team debut for Germany in a friendly match against Malta in a 3–0 victory on 13th May 2010, playing 79 minutes. He has been capped 12 times.

Ikechi Anya

Ikechi Anya (born 3rd January 1988) is another player of Nigerian descent playing for his adoptive country, Scotland. He is a professional footballer who plays as a right-winger for Championship side, Watford.

Anya’s father is a Nigerian research scientist of the Igbo ethnic group and his mother a Romanian economist. They moved to Scotland in the late 1980s for his father to obtain his doctorate in Metallurgy.

Eligible to also represent Romania, Nigeria or England internationally, he chose to play for the country of his birth, Scotland.

See Also: Neymar Jnr And PSG Transfer – 20 Buzz Facts You Must Know

He received his first cap for the Scottish national team on 6th September 2013, coming off the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium and scored his first international goal four days later in Scotland’s following match away to Macedonia.

Okaka Chuka

Stefano Okaka Chuka (born 9th August 1989) currently plays as a striker for Serie A club Sampdoria.

In April 2014, Okaka revealed he was in talks with the Nigeria Football Federation about the possibility of him switching allegiance to his parents’ country and play with the Nigeria national football team – the Super Eagles which were already at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

However, things took a new twist as Okaka was included in the Italy squad for their friendly against Albania on 18th November 2014 by manager Antonio Conte.

He made his debut as a substitute and scored the winning goal at Sampdoria’s ground. But according to the FIFA rule, he can still represent Nigeria if he wants to.

Nathan Delfouneso

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Nathan Abayomi Delfouneso (born 2nd February 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool as a striker.

Delfouneso has been a regular England youth international, having played over 50 matches at U16, U17, U19 and U21 levels.

He also has a Nigerian nationality and can still be capped by Nigeria at the senior level.

Maurice Edu

Maurice Edu, Jr. (born 18th April 1986) is a U.S. soccer player who plays for the Philadelphia Union and at one time played sporadically for the United States national team.

Edu was born and raised in Fontana, California, the son of Nigerian immigrant parents. His father, Maurice Sr., was a mathematics teacher, and his mother is a chemistry teacher. He has three sisters and a brother.

He made his international debut for the United States against Switzerland on October 17, 2007, and won his second cap a month later against South Africa, where he registered an assist for the winning goal.

Edu scored his first international goal for the U.S. during a friendly against the Czech Republic on May 25, 2010.

Innocent Emeghara

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara (born 27th May 1989) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a striker for the San Jose Earthquakes of the Major League Soccer.

He was born in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to Switzerland at the age of 13.

He began his senior career with FC Zürich’s reserves aged only 17, going on to represent FC Winterthur and Grasshopper Club Zürich; on 20th August 2011, whilst at the service of the latter, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–3 away win against Servette FC, which meant he led the Super League’s scoring charts at five in only six games.

Emeghara opted to represent Switzerland internationally, and he made his debut on 4 June 2011 by playing one minute in a 2–2 draw in England for the UEFA Euro qualifiers.

Still, in that year, he helped the U21 team finish second at the 2011 UEFA European Championship, scoring in the 2–0 group stage win against Iceland.

Oguchi Onyewu

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Oguchialu Chijioke “Oguchi” Onyewu (born 13th May 1982) is an American soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Charlton Athletic F.C.

He has played for clubs in France, Belgium, England, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Onyewu’s parents moved to the United States from Nigeria to study in Washington, D.C. They are Igbo people from Nigeria. Onyewu has two brothers, Uche and Nonye, and two sisters, Chi-Chi and Ogechi.

At 6ft 4in (1.93 m) and 210 lb (95 kg), Onyewu is the second-tallest outfield player in U.S. team history (after Omar Gonzalez).

I can’t help but think that if all these talents were assembled and blended with our current squad and with a capable coach at the helm of affairs (not forgetting to mention a functional “Glass House”), Nigeria will be poised to challenge for honours on the World stage.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/buzznigeria.com/10-nigerian-players-who-have-never-played-for-nigeria/amp/

xcelentattitude:
Ross Barkley

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
As surprised as you may be, this is true. Ross Barkley is of Nigerian descent.

Born on the 5th December 1993, Barkley is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Chelsea FC and the England national team. He previously played for Everton FC and has played on loan for Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.


Barkley was born and raised in Liverpool. His paternal grandfather was Nigerian. He is eligible to play for both England and, through his paternal grandfather, Nigeria, but opted to represent his country of birth.

He has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20, under-21 and senior level.

Adebayo Akinfenwa
Akinfenwa Adebayp
Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Saheed Adebayo Akinfenwa (born 10th May 1982), also known as Adebayo Akinfenwa, has spent his entire career in the lower leagues of English football but has still achieved global fame, thanks to a computer game.

According to the makers of the top-selling football franchise, FIFA, Akinfenwa is the strongest player in the world, a title he is proud to accept.


The 32-year-old forward has never been considered a natural footballer, numerous rugby clubs and American universities have asked him to switch sports because of his size and power. But Akinfenwa has only ever been interested in football.

Standing at just 5ft 11in, Akinfenwa weighs more than 16 stone. He shares the same football history with Shola Ameobi but the latter got the opportunity, while at the age of 32, Akinfenwa has been overlooked by Nigeria coaches.

I remember the first time I saw that Adebayo Akinfewa during an FA Cup match between his club and an EPL side. I remember I kept on wondering how this guy managed to snub rugby, which he's perfectly built for, for association football...

Dude's a beast. And his size gives him the edge over the other guys on the pitch. That guy can easily hold off 3 men without any stress. I remember one of his teammates saying you would need more than two defenders to stop him. I heard his pro career actually launched off in the Lithuanian league before he returned to join the English lower leagues fully. He got a goal for Wycombe over the weekend.

And OP, Akinfewa is now 37 not 32 years... I guess this is an old article.

mansakhalifa:


I remember the first time I saw that Adebayo Akinfewa during an FA Cup match between his club and an EPL side. I remember I kept on wondering how this guy managed to snub rugby, which he's perfectly built for, for association football...

Dude's a beast. And his size gives him the edge over the other guys on the pitch. That guy can easily hold off 3 men without any stress. I remember one of his teammates saying you would need more than two defenders to stop him. I heard his pro career actually launched off in the Lithuanian league before he returned to join the English lower leagues fully. He got a goal for Wycombe over the weekend.

And OP, Akinfewa is now 37 not 32 years... I guess this is an old article.

Thanks for the info sir.

I thought there is Yoruba tribe in Togo or something hence the name of Adebayo,is he Nigerian too
on the topic I think there is nothing wrong in representing the country of your birth or where your family and friends are but 90% of those guys that represented their adoptive country didnt have a long national team career

OP INCLUDE TAMMY ABRAHAM





The fear of Nizooria is the beginning of Wisdom!!!

They are doing better in their respective clubs.. If you want them to play for the nation, an invitation should be extended to them

This kind footballer is very scary

If this kind person is coming for the ball you would leave the ball and run

xcelentattitude:


Innocent Emeghara

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara (born 27th May 1989) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a striker for the San Jose Earthquakes of the Major League Soccer.

He was born in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to Switzerland at the age of 13.

He began his senior career with FC Zürich’s reserves aged only 17, going on to represent FC Winterthur and Grasshopper Club Zürich; on 20th August 2011, whilst at the service of the latter, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–3 away win against Servette FC, which meant he led the Super League’s scoring charts at five in only six games.

Emeghara opted to represent Switzerland internationally, and he made his debut on 4 June 2011 by playing one minute in a 2–2 draw in England for the UEFA Euro qualifiers.

Still, in that year, he helped the U21 team finish second at the 2011 UEFA European Championship, scoring in the 2–0 group stage win against Iceland.

NKASIOBI... what a fine name

that you have nigerian parents doesnt make you a nigerian. some have no passports. Let them represent the country of their birth. nigeria has never helped them in any ways . there are many of them in the lower leagues in england some use their mother maiden names.

Hal Robson-Kanu
Jonathan Obika

Interesting!
God bless The Federal Republic of Nigeria

Nonsense
All these na players?

I be think say you want talk say Lionel Messi na from Nigeria

Igbo kwenu!!!

They really are not missing anything other than the immense support Nigerians are ready to give them when they do well and the bashing they will receive when they perform poorly.

Ross Barkley bawo ?

madenigga:
This kind footballer is very scary

May be he plays in American Football and not soccer

xcelentattitude:
In a great country like Nigeria, numerous talents abound. And in football particularly, this nation is never in short supply of gifted individuals. However, while some Nigerian footballers have grown from the ranks to stardom, adorning the great colours of the Super Eagles – the green and white – others have chosen to adorn the colours of other countries.

But whether this happens by dual nationalities, lack of opportunities to impress on the home front or outright decision to represent other countries, Nigeria can boast of a wealthy array of football talents in the diaspora.

While the likes of David Alaba, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Angelo Ogbonna and Nedum Onuoha may be already known players that have been added to the “what if” list of the Nigerian football history, there are a host of others who ply their trade in countries other than the country of their descent.


Below are the names of players who could have adorned the green-white-green of the national team but never did

These ones can't even remember home... They don't even look like they are from here at all.... They should keep enjoying there...

I know just Ross Barkly, who are the others?

they better off were they are..PLEASE my name is celestine nwankwo 28YRS OLD from awgu L.G.A. enugu stat For almost 12yrs now i have been down with spinal cord injure.no source of income i hav been living on family support especially my ageing mother who has been nursing me at home for all this while. but right now things are very very difficut for me and my mother who is also diabetic expecially feeding and title medications.please i need your help in any way posible no matter how small it will make a diffrence and i am also looking for a goverment or N G O rehabilitation home for the disable. thank and GOD BLESS.see my signature

xcelentattitude:
In a great country like Nigeria, numerous talents abound.

Did you ask Trump if he agrees with you


www.nairaland.com/attachments/6423790_africa2debt_jpeg668126b9bb169d38087fd57900dde379


www.nairaland.com/attachments/4916464_img1218_jpeg869064c69e3965560ae57d6aeb37a7f2

xcelentattitude:
Ross Barkley

Nigerian Footballers Abroad
As surprised as you may be, this is true. Ross Barkley is of Nigerian descent.

Born on the 5th December 1993, Barkley is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Chelsea FC and the England national team. He previously played for Everton FC and has played on loan for Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.

Barkley was born and raised in Liverpool. His paternal grandfather was Nigerian. He is eligible to play for both England and, through his paternal grandfather, Nigeria, but opted to represent his country of birth.

He has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20, under-21 and senior level.

Success truly has many people claiming to be their relative, even though they contributed no work to the success.
Paternal grandfather yonder yonder.
Was he raised in Nigeria
When will blacks learn to work and fix their own societies instead of trying to claim what is not theirs?

liljboy:
It’s okay to marry a woman old enough to be your mother, you can still explain that as love, but someone old enough to be your grandmother?



www.nairaland.com/attachments/4914275_df_jpeg373e55dea7e43f08e80004f94f67a4a7

todaynewsreview:
The bodies of at least 74 migrants have been washed ashore in western Libya, in the latest tragedy along the dangerous trafficking route to Europe. The Libyan Red Crescent posted photos of dozens of bodies in black and white bags lined up along the shore near the western city of Zawiya.
A spokesman for the aid organisation said there were still bodies floating out at sea as the agency had no way of retrieving them. He said the migrants were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three were men.
The UN migration agency, the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), said the dinghy had set off on Saturday with 110 people on board. The agency said traffickers deliberately took the engines from the boat and then abandoned it to drift.

http://www.todaynewsreview.com/p/3051/tragedy-bodies-of-migrants-wash-ashore-en-route-europe-photo



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