Nigerian football fans can rejoice as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are still in the race to recruit young, in-form Porto sensation Samuel Omorodion as a member of the Super Eagles team.
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Spain snub hands Super Eagles Omorodion boost
Despite rumours of a potential call-up for Spain’s upcoming games, Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente surprisingly left Omorodion out of the 25-man squad for the UEFA Nations League matches.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian-born striker has been tearing it up at Porto, scoring a remarkable seven goals in just six games across all competitions, including impressive braces against Manchester United and Vitória Guimarães SC.
Eguavoen influence in capturing Omorodion
NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen, who also serves as the interim coach for the Nigerian national team (Super Eagles), has a personal connection to Omorodion’s family.
Eguavoen hails from Edo State, just like Omorodion’s father. This family tie could be a key factor in convincing the young striker to switch allegiance from Spain to Nigeria.
However, as of now, Omorodion seems more inclined to represent Spain at the senior level. He feels a stronger bond with the European nation compared to Nigeria.
The Melilla-born player did earn a provisional cap for Spain by playing the last 18 minutes of a 2023 European U19 Championship match against Iceland in July 2023. This ties him to Spain at the youth level, but not yet for the senior team.
While not included in the senior squad, Omorodion did receive a call-up for Spain’s U21 team. He’s expected to join them for upcoming U21 Euro qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Malta starting October 7th.
Interestingly, Spain’s latest squad does include two other forwards of African descent: Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.
The battle for Omorodion’s international future continues! Will he choose his family’s roots in Nigeria or the country where he grew up, Spain?
