Nigeria-eligible star refuses to commit to Italy after hitting Europe’s top mark with Verona winner vs Lecce

Hellas Verona midfielder Michael Folorunsho has remained non-committal towards representing the Italian national team, Soccernet.ng reports.

Born in Italy to Nigerian parents, Folorunsho is eligible to play international football for the former World champions and the three-time AFCON winners.

There has been increased pressure on Folorunsho recently regarding which country he desires to represent following his impressive debut in Serie A this season.

Having spent the past few years navigating the rough terrain of the Italian Serie B and Serie C, Folorunsho has taken to the elite division with relative ease.

The 26-year-old has managed four goals and one assist in 26 Serie A games this season.

Folorunsho got his fourth goal of the campaign on Sunday, netting the only goal that handed Hellas Verona a 1-0 win over Lecce at Stadio Ettore Giardiniero – Via del Mare.

Interestingly, Folorunsho’s strike came from outside the penalty area, as he received a pass from Tomas Suslov in the 17th minute before unleashing a thunderous strike into the net.

According to Opta stats, Folorunsho has now scored three goals from outside the box in 2024, the most of any player in the top five leagues in Europe.

On loan at Verona from Napoli, Folorunsho is one of the major reasons the Yellow and Blues boast 26 points and sit in 13th place on the league table.

His excellent displays have caught the attention of the Italian national team coach, Luciano Spalletti, who has confessed the midfielder is among those he is considering for the European Championship later this year.

After scoring the winner against Lecce, Folorunsho was asked if he dreams of being a part of the Azzurri squad for the continental tournament.

However, Folorunsho declined to suggest it would be a dream to play for Italy, rather saying he is pleased to be appreciated by Spalletti while taking his career one step at a time.

“I’ve always done it step by step; I’ve done Serie C, Serie B, it’s my first year in Serie A,” Folorunsho said, as per Tutto Napoli.

“Just knowing that the national coach says nice words is a great victory.”

Nigeria did not invite Folorunsho for the Super Eagles’ friendly games against Ghana and Mali later this month.

Five midfielders were called for their encounters, including Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Frank Onyeka, among others.