Nigerians might have been denied the opportunity of having a bragging right in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, but the tournament is not without Nigerian ties and blood in some of the participating teams and all football lovers are throwing their weight behind the Nigerian descent.
The last of the round one in group stage games was played yesterday with Brazil downing Serbia 2-0 after the underdogs held the Samba boys to a goalless first stanza and here is a look at how the Nigerian connections performed in the colours of their adopted nations.
Manchester City Defender, Manuel Obafemi Akanji who is flying the colours of Switzerland played 90 minutes in their win against Cameroun, should have put his team just right before the half-time whistle, with a header from close range, but it was Camerounian-born Embolo who eventually buried the Indomitables with a strike in the 47th minute. Akanji received a yellow card in the 82nd minute of the game, but he was crucial to the Switz’s important win.
The Switz with three Round-16 finishes in previous editions of the World Cup will face Brazil in round 2 of the Group stage on the 28th of November.
Manuel Obafemi Akanji, born 19 July 1995, is a Nigerian-born Swiss professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Manchester City and the Switzerland national team.
He was born in Neftenbach, Switzerland to a Swiss mother and a Nigerian father.
Bukayo Saka began his first-ever World Cup campaign in the England shirt with two beautiful goals in the 42nd and 63rd minutes in a game that ended with a 6-2 white-washing of Iran.
Saka who was subbed off in the 71st minute has been a powerhouse in the Three Lions with his magnificent form for both club, Arsenal, and country.
Saka’s brace crowned a solid performance from the youngster and also helped him set some new records at the competition.
According to England Football, he is now their third youngest World Cup scorer at the age of 21 years and 77 days.
He set that record after his first strike. When he struck the second time, he became the youngest England player to bag a World Cup brace.
He also became the first Black player to score more than one goal for England in a World Cup game.
What a player Saka is and he is expected to break even more records in this competition.
After his heartbreak at Euro 2020, the attacker will be keen to help the England national team win this World Cup.
Bukayo Ayoyinka Saka, born 5 September 2001, is a Nigerian-born English professional footballer who plays as a winger, left-back, or midfielder for the Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team.
Saka was born in Ealing, Greater London, to Yoruba parents, Adenike and Yomi Saka, and was the youngest of two children.
Saka represented England at various youth levels before making his debut for the senior team in October 2020. He was part of England’s squads at UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
19-year-old Jamal Musiala gave a massive impression of himself in the game which Germany, unfortunately, lost 1-2 to Japan who gave a great account of themselves.
During the second half, he almost scored quite an incredible goal.
Surrounded by Japanese players, Musiala jinked past everyone in a show of immense quality. He kept going and going to give himself a yard of space. Was he about to score one of the World Cup great goals?
The Bayern Munich man chose to represent Germany over England or Nigeria and showed just how good he is on the world stage against Japan.
Born in Germany to a Nigerian father and a German mother, he was raised from the age of seven in England. Musiala represented both Germany and England at the youth level and eventually pledged his allegiance to the German national team for future games in February 2021, representing the side at UEFA Euro 2020.
For Samuel Adekugbe, yesterday was the crossing of the threshold of that childhood dream to fulfillment.
A video of his jubilant mother, Dee Adekugbe screaming at the top of her voice while watching her son being brought into the game, has been going viral on the internet
Born in London, United Kingdom to Nigerian parents, Samuel Adekugbe is a Canadian professional football player who debuted in the World cup in Qatar yesterday, in a Canadian national team shirt. His family moved to Canada when he was nine years old.
The 27-year-old left-back who played the last 16 minutes of the game that saw Canada lose to Belgium 0-1, was eligible to represent England, Nigeria, or Canada, but Sam eventually chose The Canucks.
Adekugbe received his first call-up to the Canada senior team for two friendlies against Mauritania in September 2013, though he did not feature in either match. He made his debut two years later against Belize on September 8, 2015. In June 2017 Adekugbe was named to Canada’s squad for that year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
On November 16, 2021, during Canada’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Mexico at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, Adekugbe celebrated Cyle Larin’s 52nd-minute goal by diving backward into a pitchside snow bank. The celebration subsequently went viral. He scored his first goal for Canada in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the United States on January 30, 2022. In November 2022, Adekugbe was named to the 2022 FIFA World Cup team for Canada.
Iké Dominique Ugbo was an unused sub in Canada versus Belgium game which ended in an unfortunate 0-1 loss for the Canadians. Ugbo cheered his team on from the bench, for 90 minutes. Hopefully, we will get to see him on the pitch in subsequent games.
Iké Dominique Ugbo, born 21 September 1998, is a professional football player who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Troyes. Born in England, he represents the Canadian national team.
He represented England at under-17 and under-20 youth levels, before making his senior international debut for Canada in 2021.
Ugbo was born in Lewisham, Greater London, to Nigerian parents. He moved to Canada with his family when he was four or five.
Karim Adeyemi also warmed the bench for 90 minutes in German’s 1-2 loss to Japan.
Karim-David Adeyemi, born on 18 January 2002, is a Nigerian-born German professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the German national team.
Adeyemi was born in Munich, Germany, to a Nigerian father and a Romanian mother. He is a youth international for Germany, having represented the German under-16s, under-17s and under-21s.
