Slavia Prague defender, masked like Osimhen, ‘not in a hurry’ to join Super Eagles

Slavia Prague defender Igoh Ogbu has shared his thoughts on the possibility of playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 24-year-old recently joined Fulham's Calvin Bassey as one of Nigeria's top-rated defenders following the latest valuation update by Transfermarkt.

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Despite this recognition, the Nigerian centre-back is yet to receive a call-up from the Nigeria Football Federation's technical department or interim Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen.

Dreaming of the Super Eagles

Ogbu has revealed that, like many young footballers, playing for Nigeria remains a cherished dream. However, he is not rushing to wear the Super Eagles jersey.

“For me, the Super Eagles is a team that every Nigerian kid dreams of. Every footballer wants to play for his country, to wear the jersey and be proud of it,” Ogbu told Tribalfootball.

“I had contacts with the NFF. The last time I had contact with them, my dad had just passed away. But for me, I just wait for the right time, and when the right time is due, I know for sure that I will be in the team.

“I’m not in a haste. I just believe in what I can do, and I have to wait. Other Nigerians are playing, and other players are there as well. It will always come to be your time if you keep working hard and improving your game. It will happen in God's timing.”

The mask: A shared story with Osimhen

Ogbu recently suffered a facial injury—a fractured zygomatic arch—during a collision with Plzen’s Jan Kopic and Svetozar Markovic in their 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen.

“They took me on a stretcher, and the next thing, I tried to touch my face, but it was not normal, the way it should be,” Ogbu told Afrik-Foot. “The doctor then told me I had a fracture on my face.”

To protect the injured area, Ogbu now plays with a mask—an image reminiscent of Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen, who famously donned a similar mask after suffering a facial injury while playing for Napoli.

While Ogbu continues to recover and excel on the pitch, fans will be watching closely as his Super Eagles dream edges closer to reality.