Footballers with dual nationality often find themselves torn between two countries, unsure of which one to represent. The decision to play for either Nigeria or England has been a tough one for several footballers, with some opting to play for the Super Eagles while others have opted to represent the Three Lions.
While some players have benefited from their choices, others have questioned their decision. This list explores five players who were eligible to play for Nigeria, but donned the jerseys of England instead.
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Gabriel Agbonlahor was born in England, but was also eligible to play for Scotland and Nigeria. The forward turned down a call-up to the Nigeria U-20 team, opting to represent England instead. He was also included in Nigeria’s 37-man provisional list in March 2007 by former head coach Berti Vogts, although he never made an appearance for the Super Eagles.
Agbonlahor, was called up by the senior team of England for the first time in February 2008, although it was not until a 2-1 win over Germany on November 19, 2008 that he made his debut. He went on to make only three appearances before announcing his retirement.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka was born in London, England to Nigerian parents, making him eligible to represent either country. The 23-year-old was courted by the Super Eagles but opted to play for England, making his debut against Wales in 2020.
The decision to play for England has clearly worked out for Saka, who has been one of the best players for the country since his debut. As of today, the forward has made 44 appearances for the Three Lions, netting 12 times and providing eight assists. He has also been named England player of the year on two occasions, in 2022 and 2023.
Dele Alli
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli represented England although he was eligible to play for Nigeria as well. The 29-year-old made several appearances for the country at the youth level, and made his senior debut in October 2015 against Estonia.
Alli, has represented the Three Lions 37 times, netting three goals although his last appearance was in June 2019.
Tammy Abraham
Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham was born in England to Nigerian parents, making him eligible to play for either country. Despite being courted by the former Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick, he chose to play for the Three Lions instead, making his debut in November 2017 against Germany in an international friendly match.
The competition for spots in the attack of the England National team has limited Abraham to just 11 appearances, netting three times.
John Fasanu
John Fasanu rounds up this list having also played for the Three Lions despite being eligible to play for Nigeria. After making just two appearances for England, the former Wimbledon striker has openly expressed his regret over not opting to represent Nigeria.
