Nigerian Footballers in the Qatar 2022 Tournament: The FIFA World Cup has been many things since it started on 20 November, it has been dubbed the greatest show on TV and especially the 2022 FIFA world cup being hosted in Qatar, first of it in the middle east, in the Arab lands has been the most expensive so far in the history of the competition with 220 billion spent.
While there are also negative controversies over the host over the concern of the LGBTQ communities as well as migrant workers, the football body has chosen to clear all doubts before the start of the competition and gave a strict warning to the participating team over the use of armbands not to represent a theme not agreed on by FIFA.
Match Day 1 has a football unites all theme campaign, and Match Day 2 with a campaign against climate change and saving the earth. Match Day 3Â which will come to an end by Friday, 2 December is having saving the children campaign in respect of the disabled, the campaign which is done in partnership with United Nation Internation Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Although Nigeria is not in attendance at the 2022 World Cup making it the second time not to qualify for the global competition since its first appearance in the USA1994 after losing to Ghana on an away goal difference at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
Although Nigeria as a nation is not there, there are seven players with Nigerian roots playing for other participating countries at the Qatar 2022 world cup.
- Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Ayoyinka saka, born 5 Sept, 2001 to a Nigerian economic immigrant parent, Yomi and Adenike Saka in Ealing, Greater London. Bukayo has spent his entire career in the London club, Arsenal where he has played as a left back, winger, or midfielder.Â
He made his debut for England’s Senior team in October 2020 at the UEFA Euro 2020 and he has two goals for England in the FIFA world cup Qatar 2022 so far.
2. Jamal Musiala
Jamal Musiala was born on 26 February 2003Â in Stuttgart, Germany to a German mother of Polish roots and a British Nigerian Yoruba Father. Jamal has the option of playing for Nigeria, England, and Germany.
He represented England at the UEFA Under21 championship qualifications while he was at Chelsea Academy. However, Jamal Switch country in 2021 when he was called to represent his birth country at the Senior level and he made his debut in the 2022 world cup qualifiers in March 2021. He started his first match for Germany at the world cup against Japan making it the first time a teenager will feature for the country since 1958. Â
While Gernot Rohr was the Super Eagles Coach, he said he almost had Musiala switch allegiance in 2017 for Nigeria but it didn’t fall through.
3. Manuel Akanji
Born 19 July 1995 in Neftenbach, Switzerland to a Swiss mother and a Nigerian father.
Akanji who plays as a defender for Manchester City made his debut in the senior team in the 2–0 win against Faroe Islands in the 2018 World Cup qualification match on 9 June 2017. He was included in the Swiss team’s 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
His siblings, Michelle and Sarah, are both professional athletes.
4. Karim Adeyemi
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 is living his father’s dream who migrated to Germany for the purpose of playing football but age made it difficult for him to follow his passion.
5. Samuel Adekugbe
Just like Musiala, he has an option of playing for three countries and has also played in the youth team of England before switching to Canada.
Adekugbe was born on January 16, 1995, in England to parents of Nigerian descent. He had a spell with Manchester United Grassroots Program before his family moved to Canada when he was 10.
He rose through the ranks of Vancouver Whitecaps FC and made his debut for the Canadian national team in 2015. He currently  plays as a left-back for Süper Lig club Hatayspor in Turkey Lig 1. His younger brother, Elijah plays for Calvary FC.
6. Ike Ugbo
Following the footsteps of Adekugbe, Iké Dominique Ugbo, who was also born on 21 September 1998 in England to parents of Nigerian origin, won UEFA Youth League titles while he was in the Chelsea academy
Although his parents had moved to Canada when he was five, the striker opted to represent England at the youth level, Under 17 and Under 20.
He, however, switched allegiance to Canada in 2021. The Troye FC striker has played eight times for the Reds since then.
7. Noah Okafor
Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor was born on 24 May 2000, in Binningen, Switzerland to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a swiss mother.
He plays as a midfielder for the Switzerland national team and Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg where he has won three league titles and as many cup trophies.
So, While Nigeria as a national team is not present, these are players who did not forget their roots but chose to play for other countries for the sake of their careers.
