Sports
Bayer Leverkusen star, Tella stakes claim for Super Eagles shirt
Nathan Tella, the winger from Bayer Leverkusen, has expressed his eagerness to represent Nigeria in international football. Although he was born in England to Nigerian parents and is eligible to play for the English national team, Tella has disclosed that his aspiration is to play for the Super Eagles.
In an interview with the German publication Bild, the 24-year-old player stated, “I’ve always said for the last three or four years that Nigeria is a big part of my life – even though I’ve been an ‘England boy’ from London all my life. If I had the opportunity to play for Nigeria, I would be more than happy and would readily accept it. I’ve already discussed this with my parents and friends.”
Tella made a notable move to Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen from Southampton during the summer, securing a transfer for a club record fee of €20 million. The versatile winger is gradually settling into his new environment.
He acknowledged the importance of putting in hard work to catch the attention of Nigeria’s head coach, Jose Peseiro, stating, “You’re not simply handed a call-up, you have to earn it. I want to prove myself here if given the chance to play. I aim to continue my development, contribute to the team and the club. If an international call-up comes my way, that would be an added bonus,” Tella added.
Hugo Broos, the head coach of South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, has unveiled a preliminary squad of 36 players for their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Bafana Bafana will first play against the Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, June 7. Subsequently, they will host Zimbabwe at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
Broos is expected to reduce the squad to 23 players in the coming days. Presently, Bafana Bafana holds the second position in Group C with three points garnered from two games, while the Super Eagles are in third place with two points, also from two matches.
Victor Osimhen and Bruno Onyemaechi have been added to the Super Eagles’ list of injured players ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin.
According to a report from DAILY POST, Osimhen was absent from Napoli’s training session on Monday following an injury sustained during their Serie A match against Bologna over the weekend. Napoli’s official website indicated that the forward was undergoing recovery work for a muscle strain, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming league clash against Fiorentina.
Meanwhile, left-back Bruno Onyemaechi has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze is also uncertain for the two upcoming games due to an injury concern.
Furthermore, Moses Simon, Zaidu Sanusi, and Tyrone Ebuehi have already been sidelined from the qualifiers due to long-term injuries.
On a positive note, vice-captain William Troost-Ekong has recently resumed training after undergoing surgery following the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Real Madrid has clinched the LaLiga championship for the 2023-2024 season, officially confirmed following Girona’s 4-2 victory over Barcelona in the late match.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad secured a 3-0 home win against Cadiz, courtesy of goals from Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham, and Joselu.
With these results, Real Madrid now holds 87 points from 34 matches. Barcelona’s defeat places them in third position with 73 points, one less than Girona.
This marks the 36th occasion that Los Blancos have claimed the league title.
Ahead, Real Madrid is set to host Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final encounter, with the tie currently level at 2-2.
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