Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick has implored Odion Ighalo to reconsider his decision to retire from international football.
Ighalo who was the Africa Cup of Nations 2019 highest goal scorer with five strikes announced his retirement from the national team stating that it was a collective decision by members of his family to call it time. Pinnick was said to have call up the player urging him to stay with the team. It was reported that Ighalo has heeded the advise and was staying put.
However, Edo State-born Ighalo said there was no going back on his decision to leave the national team set up.
“It is not true that I have reversed my decision,” Ighalo was quoted by ColinUdoh.com
“The (NFF) president spoke to me and asked me to reconsider. Out of respect for him, I said I would think about it. I consulted with my family and we decided that the best thing for me now is to stand by the decision.
“I love my country and it was not an easy decision to make. But I believe the time is right. I am now out for eight weeks and my club are not happy about it, but I thank God for everything.”
“You always dream of playing for Nigeria as a boy and luckily I managed to do it from the under 20s to to the senior side.
“But you only need to take the time to reflect and tell yourself the truth, even though it was the hardest decision to make in my life as a footballer, I think it is the right one.”
Ighalo scored 16 goals in 35 appearances in a Super Eagles career spanning four years after making his debut in March 2015.
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