“Give him a chance” – Ex-Lens striker urges Super Eagles to trust Dessers after Unity Cup performance

Former Super Eagles forward and ex-coaching hopeful John Utaka has called for Cyriel Dessers to be given more opportunities with the national team following his performance at the Unity Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Rangers FC striker calmly controlled a cross from Sadiq Ismaila and slotted in a composed strike past Benjamin Asare to make it 1-nil in a clash that eventually ended 2-1 in favour of the Super Eagles to send them to the final of the tournament against Jamaica.

Speaking on Brila FM, Utaka, who was impressed by the performance of the former KRC Genk striker, praised the Rangers striker for his maturity in front of goal.

“He’s a good finisher, I saw his goal against Ghana, he was very composed. He shows quality, to score that kind of goal requires maturity. I think it’s high time they gave him a chance,” Utaka said.

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Dessers has had a mixed international career, often finding himself on the fringes despite consistent club form.

“It hurts sometimes [to miss out on these tournaments]; It feels disappointing. I've been in and around the squad for five years now, and I haven't played an official game yet, only friendly games, so I must say that hurts.

“On the other hand, there are always a lot of different factors. Of course, you have a few strikers, like, for example, Victor Osimhen, who is a clear number one, and there are always others; it always depends on form, on choices, on personal opinion.” he told Modo Victor.

However, his calm finish in the win over Ghana has reignited conversations around his role in the national team setup.

Utaka, who was once in the running for the Super Eagles coaching job, believes the striker deserves more trust and minutes going forward.

With the 2025 AFCON tournament and 2026 World Cup race looming, it remains to be seen whether the coaching staff will grant Dessers the opportunity to lead Nigeria’s attack on a more consistent basis.