Football is the most popular sport in Nigeria with more than 70% of the nation conversant with the nitty gritty of the eleven aside sport.
The history of the sport in the nation is as simple as it gets. The sport was introduced to Nigerians by the white missionaries from England and further consolidated by the era of the colonial masters.
Nigeria has produced dozens of world class footballers whose place in world, continental and nationwide.
Nigeria is also one of the most successful nations in football in Africa and to think that some of the best footballers the world has seen have refused to play for the Super Eagles or Super Falcons is an anomaly.
Ahead of Nigeria’s 55th birthday, Naij.com names the best footballers who have rejected to join a plethora of Nigerian football legends.
1. Razak Omotoyossi: Lagos born Omotoyossi chose Benin republic over Nigeria. Omotoyossi started his career in Nigeria, but switched to Benin after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) slammed a five-year ban on him for allegedly assaulting a referee during a Premier League game between his club, Sunshine Stars and visiting Enyimba.
He left Nigeria and for Benin to further his career and he became a household name for the country. The 29 year old has scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for his adopted nation.
2. Emmanuel Adebayo: The most popular name on this list. Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayo has had his fair share of on and off field problems. The free agent plays for Togo. He was born in Lome but is originally from Osun state.
Emmanuel Adebayor
The Togolese has played for clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Monaco. He was also voted the 2007 African footballer of the year.
READ ALSO: #NigeriaAt55: How Keshi, Oliseh, Others Transited From Players To Coaches (PHOTOS)
3. Jordon Ibe: Ibe is one of the best young wingers in world football right now. It was believed that he would choose Nigeria over England but recently revealed that he would be pledging his international future to England, the country of his birth.
Jordan Ibe (whte) in action for England U-21
4. John and Justin Fashanu: Popular football brothers John and Justin Fashanu represented England. The brothers were sons of a Nigerian barrister living in the UK and a Guyanese nurse called Pearl. When their parents split up, they were sent to a Barnardo’s home.
John and Justin Fashanu
In 2007, The Times named John the 22nd out of the 50 worst footballers to have played in the Premier League. He was a part of the crazy gang Leeds team who were known for their aggressive style of football. John Fashanu earned two caps for England.
Justin Fashanu meanwhile was known by his early clubs to be gay, and came out to the press later in his career, becoming the first and one of only two English professional footballers to be openly gay. He was also the first black footballer to command a £1million transfer fee, with his transfer from Norwich City to Nottingham Forest in 1981.
John Fashanu later attacked his brother for coming out gay.
Justin committed suicide in London in May 1998 after a seventeen-year-old boy accused him of sexual assault in the United States of America.
5. Ross Barkley: Rather surprising when you consider how English Barkley plays, looks and behaves. Barkley could have played for Nigeria as his paternal grandparents were actually from Nigeria but he did not give the country a thought as is seen in England as one of the future stars of the English national team.
Ross Barkley in action for Everton
6. Agbonlahor Gabriel: Despite too much pleas for Gabby to switch his allegiance to Nigeria, the Aston Villa attacker chose to represent England when it was all too clear a future with Nigeria was brighter for him.
Gabby Agbonlahor
On 20 September 2006, Agbonlahor was called up for the Nigeria U-20 team for the match against Rwanda but turned down the call. He however left the door open to Nigeria but later pledged his future to England.
READ ALSO: Brendan Rodgers Bemoans Lack Of Quality Players At Liverpool
7. David Alaba: The most successful of the lot. Alaba is a huge miss for Nigeria. Alaba was born in Vienna to Gina and George Alaba and has one sister. His mother emigrated from the Philippines to work as a nurse, his Yoruba Nigerian father is a prince from Ogere who is also a rapper and works as a DJ.
He is a Christian and a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His middle name “Olatokunbo” means “Wealth from across the sea” or “Wealth from a foreign land” in the Yoruba language.
A 19 year old David Alaba holding the Nigerian flag
The 23 year old is currently seen as the best left-back in the world. He has been named Austrian footballer of the year for the last four years.
He wanted to play for Nigeria but a culmination of the NFF inability to see his potential and other issues sees Alaba a full fledged Austrian.
8. Muritala Ogunbiyi: Born October 10, 1982 in Ota, Ogun state, Ogunbiyi turned out for Benin. He currently plays in France for Nîmes Olympique.
9. Angelo Ogbonna: Ogbonna was born to Nigerian parents who emigrated to Italy from Nigeria in 1983, settling in the city of Cassino in the central part of the country, but managed to obtain Italian citizenship only after his 18th birthday.
Angelo Ogbonna who plays for West Ham during a press conference
The 27 year old has 10 caps for England already.
10. Patrick Owomoyela: Born 5 November 1979 to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Owomoyela played as a right-sided defender/midfielder.
Patrick Owomoyela
He is a German footballer who is currently a free agent, having last played for German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund. He made his debut for Germany in an Asian tour, playing 90 minutes in a 3–0 win over Japan, on the 16th of December 2004, in Yokohama. Since then, he has had 11 caps to his name.
The post #NigeriaAt55: Adebayor, Ross Barkley And The Footballers That Dumped Nigeria For Other Countries (Part One) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
#NigeriaAt55: Adebayor, Ross Barkley And The Footballers That Dumped Nigeria For Other Countries (Part One)
No comments:
Post a Comment