England U17 head coach Neil Ryan has named his squad for two upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands, featuring four teenagers of Nigerian descent......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Among them is Wesley Okoduwa, son of former Nigerian international striker Emmanuel Okoduwa.
The headline name is Liverpool’s rising star Rio Ngumoha, who recently made his starting debut for the Premier League leaders in a 4-0 victory against Accrington Stanley in the Emirates FA Cup.
Also selected are West Ham United duo Lanre Awesu and Chinaza Nwosu, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Wesley Okoduwa.
Ngumoha and Nwosu are provisionally cap-tied to England, having represented the Young Lions in competitive matches. However, Okoduwa and Awesu have only featured in friendly matches, leaving their international futures open.
The matches, scheduled for February 20 and 23 in Portugal, are part of England and the Netherlands’ preparations for the elite qualifying round of the U17 European Championship.
Okoduwa’s unique eligibility and father’s history
Wesley Okoduwa was born in New York City to former Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Okoduwa and is eligible to represent England, Nigeria, or the United States at international level.
Emmanuel Osei Okoduwa is a former Nigerian footballer who began his career with First Bank FC in Nigeria before moving to Europe, where he made a significant impact in the Ukrainian Premier League.
Between 2002 and 2006, Okoduwa played for Arsenal Kyiv, scoring 32 goals in 100 appearances. His impressive performance in the 2005-2006 season saw him become the league’s joint-top scorer with 15 goals, per Wikipedia.
Following his success in Ukraine, Okoduwa had brief stints with several clubs, including Shakhtar Donetsk, Metalurh Donetsk, and a loan spell at Kuban Krasnodar in Russia.
On the international stage, Okoduwa earned a cap for the Nigerian national team in 2006 during the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Friendlies as preparation for Euro qualifiers
The matches against the Netherlands, set to take place at the Sports Complex Vila Real de Santo Antonio in Portugal, are crucial warm-ups for both teams as they gear up for the elite round of the U17 Euro qualifiers in March.
These games provide a vital platform for emerging players like Okoduwa, Ngumoha, Awesu, and Nwosu to showcase their talent on the international stage.
With England seeking to fine-tune their squad and tactics, Nigerian fans will keenly watch these matches to witness the development of their diaspora talents.
Noni Madueke recounts visiting Nigeria
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has opened up about his experience of visiting Nigeria with his parents when he was young and what he enjoyed about the trips to Africa.
Madueke was born in London, England, to Nigerian Igbo parents. He is one of the many English players of Nigerian descent playing in the Premier League.