Former Nigeria captain Mikel Obi has praised Ademola Lookman for his decision to represent Nigeria at the senior international level rather than waiting to be called up by England. In an interview with ESPN, the Chelsea legend commended Lookman, who plays for Italian club Atalanta, for making the choice early in his career.
Mikel also criticized players born outside Nigeria who delay their decision to play for the country, often waiting until they are overlooked by their birth nations before opting for Nigeria. His remarks reflect a growing trend of dual-national players navigating between representing their birth country or their heritage nation, with Mikel encouraging timely decisions to strengthen Nigeria's squad with committed talents.
“So, if you wait and you decline, you want to play for Germany or you want to play for England, just wait.
Commit to your decision. But don’t wait until you are past your best and we become a second option,” . said Mikel, who scored six goals in 91 appearances for Nigeria between 2005 and 2019 and also captained the U23 team to bronze in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
“I think Lookman made the right decision to switch quickly and say ‘I’m going to represent my African country. I’m going to play for Nigeria’.
He is having an amazing season. He played well in the last AFCON. What a fantastic player he has been. Fair play to him,” added Mikel, who recently expressed reservations about players making Nigeria a second option in their choice of international football.
Lookman had played for England at the U-19, U-20, and U-21 levels before deciding to represent Nigeria in 2022. He has netted eight goals in 25 appearances for the Super Eagles ever since.
He has stood out as Nigeria’s top performer over the past two years, leaving a significant impact at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. His goals were instrumental in guiding the team to the final against the host nation
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