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38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022
7 Nigerian-born stars at
the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The Super Eagles will not be in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA
Men’s World Cup that kicked off yesterday. But several
players of Nigerian descent will be in attendance at the world’s
biggest football festival, having been included in the squads of other
countries.
Jamal Musiala:
Representing –
Germany
Age – 19
Club – Bayern Munich
Position – Midfielder,
winger
One of the most gifted
young players in the world
today, Jamal Musiala has
already won 17 caps for
Germany at just 19 after
only making his
international debut in
2021.
A Chelsea academy
product, Musiala was
eligible to play for Nigeria
(through his father),
England, and Germany.
The wonderkid
represented the youth
teams of the two European
countries at different
times. But Musiala finally
decided for the four-time
world champions.
The Bayern Munich star
could be crucial to any
height Germany attain in
Qatar.
Karim-David Adeyemi:
Representing –
Germany
Age – 20
Club – Borussia
Dortmund
Position – Forward
Born to a Nigerian father
and Romanian mother,
Germany took advantage
of the fact that Karim
Adeyemi was born in
Munich to integrate the
youngster into their youth
system.
Regarded as a
generational talent,
Adeyemi won the 2019
Fritz Walter award for the
best youngster in Germany.
Only last year, the former
Salzburg forward led
Germany to victory at the
UEFA European Under-21
Championship.
And the Nationalelf will
hope Adeyemi can help
inspire another title
triumph in Qatar.
Noah Arinzechukwu
Okafor:
Representing –
Switzerland
Age – 24
Club – Red Bull Salzburg
Position – Winger,
forward
Noah Okafor was born
in Binningen, Switzerland,
to a Nigerian father and a
Swiss mother.
Okafor’s talent was
spotted when he was with
the Basel youth academy,
and the forward had been
a part of the Swiss youth
system since the under-
15s.
The Salzburg winger
made his debut for
Switzerland in 2019. And
his spot in Qatar was
sealed last November
when he scored a goal in
the win over Bulgaria that
secured automatic
qualification for
Switzerland to the 2022
FIFA World Cup.
Manuel
Akanji:
Obafemi
QATAR WORLD CUP!
•Samuel
Representing –
Switzerland
Age – 27
Club – Manchester City
Position – Defender
Also born to a Swiss
mother and a Nigerian
father, Manuel Akanji
could have been playing
for the Super Eagles.
But the Neftenbach-born
centre-back’s progression
from the Swiss youth teams
to the national side was
completed in 2017.
And after amassing 43
international caps for the
Red Crosses, Akanji is one
of the most experienced
heads in the Swiss camp in
Qatar.
And the Manchester City
defender will target a
repeat of the 2019 UEFA
Nations League Finals,
where his team finished
fourth.
Samuel Ayomide
Adekugbe:
Representing – Canada
Age – 27
Club – Hatayspor
Position – Left-back
Born in England to
parents with Nigerian
heritage and raised in
Canada, Samuel
Adekugbe could have
played for any of the three
countries.
But Canada handed
Adekugbe a chance at the
youth level and included
him in their squad for the
2017 Concacaf Gold Cup.
The 2022 FIFA World
Cup will be Adekugbe’s
first appearance at
football’s biggest fiesta.
Bukayo Ayoyinka Saka:
Representing – England
Age – 21
Club – Arsenal
Position – Winger, leftback,
midfielder
•Jamal
•Saka
Considered one of the
best young football players
in the world, Bukayo
Saka’s aim in Qatar will
include making amends
for his penalty miss in the
final of last year’s
European Championship.
Winner of Arsenal’s
Player of the Season
award over the last two
seasons, Saka heads to his
first World Cup with more
experience than many
within his age bracket.
The 21-year-old winger
could have been
representing Nigeria,
though, through his
parents.
Iké Dominique Ugbo:
Representing – Canada
Age – 24
Club – Troyes
Position – Forward
Ike Ugbo was eligible to
represent Nigeria
(through his parents),
•Noah
•Ike
•Adeyemi
•Akanji
England (through birth),
and Canada (through
youth residency).
The Chelsea academy
product helped England
U20 win the 2017 Toulon
Tournament.
But in September 2021,
Ugbo made public his
decision to play
international football for
three-time African
champions, Nigeria.
A couple of months later,
though, the 24-year-old
forward made a u-turn and
instead switched his
international allegiance to
Canada.
And after only making
eight appearances for the
Reds without scoring a
goal, Ugbo was included in
Canada’s squad for Qatar
2022. And the Troyes star
will look to help the
Canadians make it past the
group stage for the first
time in World Cup history.
WALES VS USA
WALES VS USA
Wales return to World Cup action after 64
years in key clash against USA
WALES’ first appearance
at a World Cup for 64
years begins against an exciting
USA team.
The two sides lock horns today
at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
in what could be a crucial game
in Group B.
With England favourites to
progress as winners, these two
sides could be left battling for
second place in the group.
But there’s little to split them
in the world rankings.
The Dragons are ranked 19th
in the world, with USA slightly
ahead in 16th.
USA: Qualification for the
tournament was narrowly
secured ahead of Costa Rica,
who had to go through a playoff
against New Zealand.
USA clinched the third and
final automatic qualifying spot
from the CONCACAF qualifying
group on goal difference, behind
Canada and Mexico.
Wales: The Dragons did have
to secure their spot in Qatar via
a play-off, holding their nerve to
beat Ukraine in an emotional
game back in June.
USA: Winless in their last
three, USA were beaten 2-0 by
Japan in September before
drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia.
England’s WAGs jet off to Qatar
with mountains of luggage
E NGLAND’S
team of Wags
are on their way to
the World Cup in
Qatar - with an
extraordinary
number of suitcases.
The glamorous
group arrived at
Manchester Airport
to catch a specially
chartered British Airways
flight.
Megan Pickford was
spotted carrying a doll with
hubby Jordan’s face on it
whilst Jack Grealish’s
girlfriend Sasha Attwood
wheeled in TWELVE
suitcases.
Harry Maguire’s wife,
Fern, was also there along
with Kyle Walker’s model
missus, Annie.
The group excitedly
hugged one another as they
checked-in ahead of the
ENGLAND VS IRAN
Lions roar
against Iran
ENGLAND’S quest for a
first World Cup triumph
since 1966 starts with a clash
against Iran.
Gareth Southgate’s side go
into the tournament having
reached the semi-finals in
Russia four years ago.
Meanwhile opponents Iran
arrived in Qatar after leaving
violent anti-government
protests in their homeland.
The Khalifa International
Stadium in Doha is the venue
for the first of the action in
Group B.
It’s No5 vs No20 in the world,
in what could be a banana-skin
opener for the Three Lions with
Iran expected to be difficult to
break down.
England: The Three Lions
eased to the top of their
•Pulisic
•Bale
long flight to Doha for
football’s biggest
international tournament.
They are due to touch
down ahead of the Three
Lions’ opening match
against Iran today.
The Wags will board the
MSC World Europa, a
£1billion luxury cruise
liner, where they will stay
during the tournament.
And the glamorous set
are so confident their men
can go all the way they
packed their cases to the
brim.
•Mehdi
•Foden
qualifying group without losing
a game.
Southgate’s side won eight
and drew two out of 10 to
qualify first ahead of Poland.
Iran: Carlos Quieroz’s and Co
were the first nation from Asia
to qualify for the tournament,
topping their group ahead of
South Korea after losing just
once in 10 games.
England: The Three Lions
head into the tournament on
the back of a SIX game winless
run.
The Three Lions drew 3-3
with Germany last time out, but
have not tasted victory since a
3-0 friendly win against Ivory
Coast in March.
On the other hand Iran go
into the game unbeaten in their
last three, including an
impressive win over Uruguay
in September.
Southgate is leading
England into a World Cup for a
second time, but has admitted
he faces the sack if the Three
Lions flop in Qatar.