“We’re not second choice” – 2016 Olympic bronze medallist warns Nigeria-eligible footballers

Former Super Eagles midfielder Mikel Obi has criticized players with dual nationalities who prioritize playing for countries in Europe over their African countries of origin, Soccernet.ng reports.

Over the years, there has been a growing number of players of African origin who have have been eligible to represent European countries. Some became citizens of because they were born there, while others had one foreign parent.

Due to this, Nigeria have lost talents like Jamal Musiala, Dele Alli, Bukayo Saka, and many others.

Meanwhile, there are others who decided to switch to Nigeria because they were not called up to the national team of the European team they wanted to play for.

Former Super Eagles midfielder Mikel Obi has expressed his displeasure on the issue, as he believes that playing for Nigeria should be a no-brainer.

“They say they want to play for England, France, or another country. And then, they wait and they keep waiting and waiting, then when they get to 25 or 26 and they don’t get a call-up, they call Nigeria,” Mikel said on his ObiOne podcast.

“We shouldn’t be treated as second options, we are not second options. You should be proud of your African roots, you should be proud to represent your African country.

“I want the best players to play in Africa, so you rather make a decision and stand by it, if you decide you want to play for England, stick to it, sit and wait.

“If you don’t get a call up, then you don’t get a call-up. Don’t wait until you’re 29 or 30 when you’re past your best before calling Nigeria.

Because of the issues surrounding the Super Eagles and the allure of playing for the top foreign countries, most players with dual nationalities often opt to play for the latter. Nonetheless, there are a few like Alex Iwobi, Maduka Okoye, Ola Aina, and Joe Aribo, who opted to play for Nigeria early in their career.