Play for the Super Eagles: Fulham’s Bassey urges as Nigeria & England battle for Arsenal’s Nwaneri

Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has called on young players of Nigerian descent, including Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri, to strongly consider representing Nigeria over England on the international stage, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Eagles have struggled in recent years to convince highly-rated talents born in England with Nigerian roots to pledge their international futures to the West African giants.

Players such as Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Ebere Eze, Dominic Solanke, and Jacob Murphy have all opted to represent England, leaving Nigeria to rue the loss of some of its most promising footballing heirs.

Our January Goal of the Month winner… Ethan Nwaneri

@Emirates pic.twitter.com/35NKEetiKp

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 23, 2025

However, a new generation of dual-national stars is emerging — and one of the most exciting among them is Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri.

The 17-year-old midfielder, who became the youngest player in Premier League history in 2022, is eligible to play for either England, where he was born, or Nigeria, the birthplace of his parents.

With reports suggesting that England could hand Nwaneri his first senior international call-up in March, Bassey has issued a heartfelt message to the youngster and others like him.

Defender @CalvinBassey made his debut on the 25th March 2022 vs Ghana. It’s nearly 3 years and he’s raked in 29 caps for the Super Eagles. Insane! #soarsupereagles #firstinterview pic.twitter.com/JW7k9l3EmZ

— Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) February 22, 2025

READ MORE 

• Proved them wrong – Everything Calvin Bassey said after helping Fulham to a win over Nottingham Forest
• Nigeria & Fulham star Calvin Bassey tops Premier League defensive charts with key stat

Bassey, who was born in Italy to Nigerian parents and raised in England, faced a similar decision before choosing to represent Nigeria in 2022.

Speaking to NBC Sports, the 24-year-old defender revealed how a deep sense of connection to his heritage — and the legacy of Nigerian football legends — played a key role in his decision.

“I think it’s good. With us going back to our family roots, I think a lot more players have done it as well,” Bassey said.

“I feel like because most of us were first-generation, we really feel connected to our Nigerian roots. We know how big of a country it is and how big they are in football, with some of the Nigerian stars that came through — Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, John Obi Mikel… there are so many stars!

“For us, we looked up to these guys, and we wanted to be part of it. It’s a nice feeling. Hopefully, we inspire more boys who are born in England to at least consider playing back home.”

Bassey's decision has already yielded rewards. The former Rangers and Ajax defender played a pivotal role in Nigeria's run to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final and helped the team clinch qualification to the next edition in Cote d’Ivoire.

While Nigeria lost out on several high-profile players to England, the Super Eagles have enjoyed some notable victories in the battle for dual-national talent.

Bassey is part of a growing group of players who have pledged their futures to Nigeria, alongside Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Nathan Tella, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

Lookman's case is particularly striking — having switched allegiance from England in 2022, the Atalanta forward is now the reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year after a stunning year for club and country.

With Nigeria preparing for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March, the Super Eagles are keen to strengthen their ranks by convincing more young stars like Nwaneri to follow in Bassey's footsteps.

‘It's a different type of feeling' – Bassey

For Bassey, playing for Nigeria is more than just a career decision — it's a matter of pride and family legacy.

“When I was younger, my mom didn’t really watch football unless it was the World Cup,” he said.

“That’s the only thing she was engaged in because Nigeria was involved. So seeing that, I just know when I’m on that pitch playing for Nigeria, she’s supporting like crazy.”

Bassey recalled how his mother became his loudest cheerleader during the recent AFCON tournament.

“I remember when she came to the African Cup of Nations, obviously, I couldn’t see her, but my friend was there along with my mom and my agent, and they sent me videos. My mom’s passion is just crazy. She’s just screaming!

“She thinks I can hear her, and I’m like ‘I can’t hear it Mom, there’s like 60,000 people in the stadium!' But it’s nice, and that just fuels me to want to do more. I know all my family in Nigeria is watching as well. It’s a different type of feeling — you can’t really put into words.”

With head coach Eric Chelle set to announce his squad for the March qualifiers, Bassey is expected to be one of the first names on the list.