South Africa have secured the international allegiance of highly-rated teenage defender Ime Okon, beating Nigeria to the signature of the 20-year-old who recently impressed in a trial spell with Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv, Soccernet.ng reports.
Born in February 2004 to a Nigerian father and South African mother, Okon was eligible to represent either of Africa’s footballing powerhouses.
However, with his roots firmly established in South Africa — where he has lived his entire life and risen through the football ranks — it always seemed a matter of time before he pledged his future to Bafana Bafana.
Okon, who plays for Supersport United in the the country's Premier Division, caught the attention of national team selectors with his composed displays at centre-back this season, making 20 league appearances and earning a spot in the Team of the Week once.
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Head coach Hugo Broos handed him a debut on June 4 during the COSAFA Cup, as South Africa suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mozambique.
Despite the loss, Okon impressed with his positioning and composure, earning another start against Zimbabwe, where he made a significant impact by scoring his first international goal in a 2-0 win.
Okon completed the group stage with another full 90 minutes in a goalless draw against Mauritius, helping South Africa top their group and secure a semifinal spot. Having played every minute of Bafana Bafana’s campaign so far, the young defender appears destined to become a fixture in the national team setup.
Though his decision to represent South Africa may have raised eyebrows in Nigeria, it is not considered a major setback for the Super Eagles.
With experienced skipper William Troost-Ekong, Fulham’s Calvin Bassey, and promising teenager Benjamin Fredrick emerging as future stars, Nigeria’s central defence looks well-stocked for years to come.
Ime Okon is now pushing to be included in South Africa’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers in September. Bafana Bafana are set to face Lesotho and Nigeria — his father’s country — on September 5. A debut in that crunch fixture would be symbolic and significant, offering the chance for Okon to make a statement against the nation he chose not to represent.
