Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie has expressed his joy after receiving a call-up to the Nigeria national team under new Super Eagles head coach Bruno Labbadia, Soccernet.ng reports.
It is Obasogie’s second invitation to the national team, having first been called up last November.
Despite being included in the squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, where both matches ended in 1-1 draws, Obasogie did not make his debut.
The 24-year-old took to Twitter to share his excitement about the latest opportunity, attributing his success to the prayers of his late mother.
“The son of a praying mother even in death the prayers still day flow congratulations go reach everybody,” Obasogie tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Amasobasogie1/status/1829157173177524621
Obasogie has established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
His outstanding performances earned him the Golden Glove award for the 2023/24 NPFL season, having kept the most clean sheets—18—throughout the season.
This achievement not only secured the award for Obasogie but also set a new record for the most clean sheets in a single NPFL season, surpassing the previous record of 16 clean sheets held by Kwara United’s Adewale Adeyinka during the 2020/21 season.
As he joins the Super Eagles camp, Obasogie will be competing with Udinese's Maduka Okoye and Chippa United's Stanley Nwabali for the number-one goalkeeping spot.
Nwabali, who impressed during Nigeria’s AFCON campaign earlier this year, is currently the first-choice goalkeeper, but Obasogie’s recent form could see him challenge for the starting position under Labbadia’s new regime.
The man was never in charge and will not have invited this boy. The German simply had a look at how meddlesome the NFF guys led by Eguavoen are and decided to respect his pedigree and keep his good records. Eguavoen has always been in charge and that is clearly a sign there there will be interference with how things are done. The coach will not be allowed full control of his team. Even other local coaches are wary of that situation that is why they’re also not showing keen interest for those job. Unless the right thing is done, Nigerian national team will remain without a sound coach for the foreseeable future.