In Nigeria, footballers are looked up to as heroes and legends, and as such, it is no wonder that the country has produced some of the best footballers in the world. However, there are also footballers who have Nigerian roots but play for other countries, and you may not be aware of who they are. In this article, we will look at five footballers you never knew are from Nigeria.
1. Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham is a Nigerian-English footballer born in London, England. Despite being born and raised in England, Tammy has Nigerian roots and was eligible to play for the Super Eagles. Tammy’s father, who used to play for Nigeria, was born in Nigeria and later relocated to England, where he started a family. Tammy Abraham currently plays for AS Roma and has also played for England at various age levels. However, despite several attempts by Nigerian football officials to lure Tammy to play for Nigeria, he has remained resolute in representing England at the international level.
2. David Alaba
David Alaba is an Austrian footballer who is of Nigerian descent. Born to a Filipino mother and a Nigerian father, David spent the better part of his life in Austria, where he learned to play football. He currently plays for the Spanish football club Real Madrid. David Alaba started his career at the age of 17 when he signed for Bayern Munich, where he won multiple domestic and European titles. He has also represented Austria at the international level since 2009.
3. Japhet Tanganga
Japhet Tanganga is an English footballer who has played for England at U21 level. Born and raised in London, Tanganga has Nigerian roots and is eligible to play for the Super Eagles. He started his career at Tottenham Hotspur and has gradually worked his way up to the first team. Tanganga was handed his first team debut by Jose Mourinho in January 2020 and has since gone on to become an important member of the Tottenham Hotspur squad. Though he is yet to be called up to the senior England national team, Nigerian officials are keeping an eye on him and are looking to convince him to play for Nigeria.
4. Josh Onomah
Josh Onomah is an English footballer who was part of the team that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017. Born in Enfield, England, Onomah has Nigerian roots and is eligible to play for the Super Eagles. He started his career at Tottenham Hotspur and has had loan spells at Aston Villa, Fulham, and Sheffield Wednesday. Onomah has also represented England at various age levels, and it remains to be seen if he will switch allegiance to Nigeria.
5. Karim Adeyemi
Karim Adeyemi is an Austrian footballer of Nigerian descent who plays for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Born in Munich, Germany, Adeyemi started his career in football with SpVgg Unterhaching. He later signed for Red Bull Salzburg in January 2018. He is eligible to play for both Austria and Nigeria, but he has expressed his desire to play for Germany in an interview with Austrian media.
Footballers that have their roots in Nigeria have made significant contributions to the game at various levels. It is heartening to see talented young players like Japhet Tanganga, Josh Onomah, and Karim Adeyemi making a name for themselves in the European football leagues. Nigerian football fans will continue to keep an eye on these players. Fans also hope that they will one day choose to represent the Super Eagles on the international stage.
