Super Eagles invitee, Nathan Tella has disclosed that his family will be extremely excited to watch him play for Nigeria ahead of the team’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Recall that the Bayer Leverkusen star was listed among the 23-man squad that will kickstart the Super Eagles quest of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a chat with BBC Sport Africa, Tella stated that he’s proud of his British and Nigerian sides, lucky to have both backgrounds.
He also revealed that his desire has always been to represent the Super Eagles.
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“It’s always been about representing Nigeria,” Tella told BBC Sport Africa.
“My family will be over the moon to watch me fulfil that dream.
“I am proud of my British and Nigerian sides and lucky to have both backgrounds. Of course, we have both worlds, but ours is a proper Nigerian home [with] culture, food and tradition.”
Tella’s addition to the national team is anticipated to provide depth and excitement to the Super Eagles’ lineup as they prepare to face Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Despite being only 24 years old, Tella has a wealth of experience and is a well-travelled player, playing for Arsenal and Burnley.
A graduate of Arsenal’s prestigious Hale-End Academy, Tella could’ve easily chosen to represent the Three Lions, but rather, felt a strong calling to play for Nigeria.
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COMMENTS
Good for you….Welcome to Super Eagles… Sincerely, I wonder if you would have accepted to play for Nigeria if there was any prospect of playing for the 3 lions. Opting to play for Nigeria is the smartest move for you. We see that in Tammy Abraham and the latest one is Eberechie Eze. We all know Tammy’s story and I don’t see Eze playing many games with England either before he would be dumped but in the meanwhile, they would have played long term with Nigeria if they opted in to play for Nigeria…..Michael Olise, it’s not too late to make a U turn.
@Olu, He opted to play for Nigeria straight away as soon as he started to hit the headlines. There was no thought given to England. He had arguably his best season ever as a professional last season in the second division with Burnley. That earned him a permanent move to the German Bundesliga top of the table team Bayer Leverkusen. He has not waited to see if there is interest from England, rather he sent a message straight away to Nigeria and started putting things in place to make sure that nothing would prevent him achieving this.
Apart from a few media stories here and there that could not produce proof of it, there was no “photos with the NFF president on Twitter, no social media posturing”, just silently putting things in place, like Asake sang “Them no dey see me coming”
He quietly did his NIN, he quietly applied for his passport and you will agree with me that these do not take two or three weeks to obtain, they take months, especially in the UK.
So, wonder not about England and just open your arms wide to welcome him. He is an asset, will bring a new dimension to the Super Eagles
From what I’ve seen this guy do for Leverkusen down the right wing, this guy will give CHUKWUEZE a big, big run for his money……If the AC Milan lad doesn’t sit up; and Tella impresses in both fixtures (especially now that Chukwueze will be absent), then, o ti lọ!
Very true my brother!
Chukwueze is no longer injured and if he was so desired by the team he should have been on the list of players but he was dropped because of a Tella..
I don’t see this boy as someone who would play with this opportunity he will grab it with both arms..
I’m loving this competition, if Samuel chukwueze doesn’t sit up he slot for the Afcon would be taken by Tella
Gbam!!!!!
Even Chukwueze’s assist against Lecce last weekend, his First-ever goal contribution in AC Milan colours, didn’t impress that much
He has a long way to go now; Tella is in to FIGHT for his place!!!
See better pikin, we are also anticipating and can’t wait son.
See better pikin, we the fans are also anticipating and can’t wait to see you in green and white jersey, make us proud on Thursday son.
Welcome home Nathan Adewale Temitayo Tella. We welcome you with open arms. These are the kind of foreign borns I like to play for us because they chose Nigeria with no pressure. Not those that are still waiting for Northgate to cap them and dump them. Kaabọ ṣe daada lo de? A ti nreti rẹ.
If he can just provide an assist pẹnrẹ if given the chance he will cement his place in the SuperEagles. I like his pace and he’s also very strong in the ball. All the best lad.
All hail the real son of the soil!
Great to know that you are taking lessons from the current real OGs like Iwobi, Aina, and Lookman who declared for Nigeria at their early age and peak when they could have opted for England.
Those English wannabes like Eze, Olise, Abraham, Tomori, and Akpom and others that would prefer youth football to SE.
I pray one day we have a functional football body that provides the basic returns and necessary resources for the national teams.
Akpom is eager to play for Nigeria at wrong time because SE is blessed with potent strikers at present.
Tella should play only if his parents travel from England to Uyo for the game against Lesotho
That’s a stupid statement
@Ako Amadi,
You assume that his parents do not have jobs? One cannot just not forget work and jump on a plane to Lagos/Abuja and onto Uyo. That does not happen in a civilised world. The call up came on Thursday evening, not enough time to arrange leave from work.
However!!! He will definitely have family members who live in Nigeria in the stadium cheering him on.
One thing I love about tella is that he knows how to put the ball into the net , not the most skillful winger or the player with lovely foot walk but when it comes to finding the back of the net tella is far better compared to Simon, lookman and chukwueze( note: only in scoring goals)
I hope he gets to play and scores in one of the two games which would make chukwueze to sit up.. I’m loving the competition
I’m telling you bro. I’m loving this competition like say tomorrow no Dey. Samuel Kalu is also not doing bad currently in the Swiss league. The options are gigantic and humongous that anybody who doesn’t take his chances like dongoyaro Onuachu will become history even if they’re scoring a million goals in Turkey. Lmao!!
I can’t remember the last time we have such competition in the SuperEagles. When you know someone on the bench is as good as you and if you sniff your spot is gone that’s what brings out the best in you. I hope Tella justifies his inclusion.
Please don’t compare him with Chukwueze ooooo. They will not pass ball to him again in CAMP OOOOO. I KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING
Hahaha, if you know, you know!
I always said Chukwueze was a dribblier, had no end product. Its very obvious when you get down to the nitty gritty on who these players are and why they play like that. Lets be real, what are the se midfield primarily composed off?
Unless fans here like showboating like Anthony then be my guest. And then you see fans saying how he doesnt bring anything.
Why is se blessed with forwards? I saw somebody here advocating for Onuachu to get a call up and how John Obi Mikel was advocating his fellow tribe mates Chuckewuze and “the tall striker Onuachu.”
Nathan Tella scored in 2nd tier championship and now scored in 1st tier bundesliga in first place. Thats called improving and adapting. Some people got it and some dont.
Welcome home, Temitayo. Omo dada ni e!
Pace, skill, assists, goals. Our strikers will enjoy this player.
As for Chuks, all he needs to do is learn how to use that right foot. If he does that, he becomes one of the best right wingers in the world. But for now, as long as he continues with OTU UKWU MOVEMENT, he is too predictable.
I saw Mo Salah providing a perfect cross with his right foot the other day. That’s what makes him so difficult to pin down. Look at the good left footed right wingers in the world today. They are all comfortable with their right foot.
A two-footed Chuks and Tella competing for the starting jersey on the right wing. That is the best case scenario.
they have began to hype them again, that’s how we invited Dennis, ejuke, kalu, lookman, aribo, uzoho etc and they all came to flop. This generation of Eagles are nothing to write about. They deserve to be demoted to the flying eagles. There is nothing spectacular about them. It is some fans who just like to hype them like they are being paid to do so.
Ademola Lookman, flop, really? Because of one unfortunate friendly game?? Hmmm
Ademola Bookman is not in anyway a flop by all standard . tell me any Nigeria player that was more outstanding than Ademola bookman in last season. In his first season at Atalanta he was the club highest goal scorer and even the most valuable player in his club. Some might say he has not been performing at the National level. yes this is true because he is outplayed by the coach and just recently Peseiro admitted that Ademola struggles in Eagles shirt because he has been using him wrongly as a flank wing player. he said Ademola performs better as a supporting striker operating from the middle. One good thing about this coach is he is quick to notice his error