Two Super Eagles Stars Motivated Me To Shun England For Nigeria– New Super Eagles Midfielder Reveals

According to a report by OwnGoalNigeria on Monday, October 12, 2026, new Super Eagles midfielder Chibuzo Nwoko has revealed that Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey motivated him to commit his international future to Nigeria instead of England.

The 20-year-old midfielder disclosed how his Fulham teammates influenced his decision to represent Nigeria at senior international level.

Nwoko, who plays for Fulham’s under-23 team, made his Super Eagles debut in Nigeria’s 3-3 draw against Russia in an international friendly on Tuesday.

Born in England to Nigerian parents, the midfielder remains eligible to represent England at any level.

However, he has committed himself to Nigeria, with the experiences of Iwobi and Bassey playing an important role in his decision.

Speaking in an interview published on Fulham’s academy Instagram account, Nwoko expressed his delight at making his long-awaited international debut for the Super Eagles.

“I am grateful to God for the opportunity, but it was an amazing feeling making my debut. Something that I have been aspiring for a long time. So I am delighted to be honest,” he said.

The midfielder also described the experience of playing in front of a large crowd against Russia as memorable.

“It was a great experience. 40,000 people were there so playing in front of so many people against a very good Russian side was great for me.”

“You know we had a young team out there who showed good desire and determination so on a team level and a personal level I think it was a very memorable experience for me,” Nwoko added.

He further explained that Iwobi and Bassey had spoken to him about their experiences with the Nigerian national team before his call-up, helping him understand what to expect.

“Beforehand obviously they knew I have been called up so they kind of just explained on how it is in Nigeria and kind of what it’s like around the team and stuff like that.”

“But yeah, they been part of the Nigerian group for a long time, so I’ve obviously kind of seen them around it a lot and that kind of motivated me to be a part of it as well.”

Iwobi and Bassey have established themselves as important members of the Super Eagles setup, and their experiences with the national team helped encourage Nwoko to follow the same path.

The midfielder’s debut against Russia also gave head coach Eric Chelle an opportunity to assess his qualities ahead of Nigeria’s under-23 assignment in November.

With his international future now committed to Nigeria, Nwoko will hope to build on his first appearance and establish himself as a regular option for the national team in the coming years.

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