The former Golden Eaglets striker believes he deserved a call-up in the past, but he hopes to make his international debut this year finally
Union Berlin star Taiwo Awoniyi has expressed his regret over past Super Eagles snub, but he hopes to get a call-up this year.
Awoniyi has played for the U-17, U-20 and U-23 national teams, but he is yet to make his senior appearance with the Nigerian national team.
The 22-year-old has had many ups and downs in his young career, but he feels he should have earned a call-up to the Super Eagles team when he was on loan at Royal Mouscron.
Awoniyi is signed to Liverpool but was on loan at Mouscron for the 2017/2018 season. The former Mainz attacker scored ten times and provided seven assists in 31 games in that season, but was overlooked by the Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, in the 2018 World Cup squad.
However, Awoniyi insists he should’ve been called up to the provisional squad given the season he had that year.
‘With the way I played at Mouscron, a Liverpool director told me, ‘you deserve a call-up for the friendly in England,” Awoniyi told Punch.
“That was the Nigeria versus England friendly before the 2018 World Cup. I did well at that period, but I never got a chance.”
But despite the snub, Awoniyi hopes he gets his chance this year even though he knows there’s strong competition in Nigeria’s attack.
“We have lots of strikers in Europe, and I feel the best will be called up at all times. I’m getting closer to achieving that, having played from the U-17, U-20 and U23 teams.
“Hopefully, if I continue scoring and performing well, I may get a chance this year. Playing for the Eagles will help me get a work permit easily in England.
“Getting into the Eagles will be tough, but I will fight to earn my place in the team,” he added.
Awoniyi has been impressive for Union Berlin this season and could get a call-up when Rohr names his squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Benin Republic in March.