Blackburn Rovers forward Dapo Afolayan says he wants to represent Nigeria at senior level, despite having previously played for England’s youth teams.
The England-born attacker, who is of Nigerian descent, said playing for the Super Eagles had been a personal ambition since childhood. He also revealed that he came close to receiving a Nigeria call-up during his time in the German Bundesliga, only for an unfortunate change in circumstances to end that possibility.
“I'd love to play for Nigeria. It's always been something I wanted to do since I was a kid. I've been really close and timing has been unfortunate,” Afolayan said.
The 27-year-old explained that he had been performing well in Germany and expected to be considered for international selection. However, he stopped playing before the March break and ultimately missed out on the opportunity.
“I was really playing well in the Bundesliga, and I was really close to a call-up, then I stopped playing before the March break and ended up not going,” he added.
Afolayan’s comments could bring him to the attention of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria continue to assess players eligible for future international assignments.
His willingness to switch allegiance would give Nigeria another possible attacking option, although any move would remain subject to confirmation of his eligibility and the required international clearance procedures.
Having appeared for England at youth level does not automatically prevent Afolayan from representing Nigeria. However, the nature of those appearances, including whether any were made in competitive fixtures, would determine which FIFA eligibility rules apply to his case.
Afolayan was born in England and has Nigerian heritage, making him eligible to explore a possible international future with the Super Eagles. His previous involvement with England’s youth sides means the relevant regulations would need to be considered before any senior switch could be completed.
The forward now hopes his performances for Blackburn Rovers can help him secure the opportunity he has wanted since he was a child: representing Nigeria at senior international level.