Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Pinnick has opened up on the circumstances that led to Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze declining an opportunity to represent the Super Eagles, despite being close to committing to the national team.
Pinnick, who led the NFF between October 2014 and October 2022, presided over an era in which several foreign-born players pledged their international futures to Nigeria. During that period, the Super Eagles welcomed players such as Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman and Calvin Bassey.
However, while Nigeria succeeded in securing many talents, the federation also missed out on high-profile prospects, including Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi, Tammy Abraham and Eze.
Eze’s connection to Nigeria became public in March 2017 when the then 18-year-old Queens Park Rangers midfielder was seen wearing a Super Eagles jersey during a national team camp held in London. He had been invited by former head coach Gernot Rohr ahead of proposed friendly matches against Senegal and Burkina Faso, which were later cancelled due to security concerns.
According to Pinnick, discussions with Eze and his family progressed positively, and the process of switching allegiance was almost complete before an unexpected delay occurred.
Speaking on the Playzone and Dangolo Way show, Pinnick revealed that he personally met Eze’s father and held extensive talks that initially ended in agreement for the player to represent Nigeria. He added that Eze’s sister, who was acting as his manager at the time, also visited him, and all required documentation had already been prepared.
Pinnick explained that Eze’s camp later requested more time, after which circumstances changed. He suggested that the delay, combined with his eventual exit from the NFF following elections, may have contributed to the move never materialising, despite insisting that Eze genuinely had affection for Nigeria.
The former NFF president also recalled the challenges faced in persuading Ademola Lookman to commit to the Super Eagles, noting that the process was difficult and involved unexpected personal meetings before the documentation was finally signed.
Ultimately, Eze chose to represent England, making his senior debut for the Three Lions in 2023. Since then, he has earned 16 international caps, featuring in the starting lineup on four occasions.
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