On Wednesday Gernot Rohr named his squad for Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone and two players were handed their first call-ups.
First is Cyriel Dessers who plays his football with Heracles Almelo in the Dutch top-flight, while the second player is Kingsley Ehizibue.
While a lot of Nigerians may be familiar with Dessers as he is currently the top scorer in the Eredivisie, the same cannot be said about Ehizibue.
As a result, Soccernet.ng profiles the new Super Eagles star ahead of the AFCON clash against the Leone Stars on March 27.
Kingsley Ehizibue was born in Munich, Germany to Nigerian parents, but he spent his formative years in the Netherlands.
He started his football career at Dutch side, PEC Zwolle before going on to make over 100 appearances for the first team.
He graduated to the Blauwvingers first team in 2014 and made his debut in a KNVB BEKER clash against HHC Hardenberg.
Playing Position:
Ehizibue plays as a right-back, but he started his career as a right-winger. Former Zwolle manager, Ron Jans converted him.
International Allegiance:
Ehizibue was eligible to play for Germany, Netherlands and Nigeria. But his international career kicked off with the Dutch, making one single appearance for Oranje’s U-21 side.
However, it came in an international friendly, which made it possible for Nigeria to call him up without FIFA approval.
If his lone appearance for the Netherlands U-21 side had been in a competitive game, then he would’ve been required to apply for an international switch.
Current Club:
Ehizibue left Zwolle last year to sign for German Bundesliga side, FC Cologne. In what is his debut season, the 24-year-old has made 22 appearances for Die Geißböcke, scoring one goal.
What Are His Chances In The Super Eagles?
The 24-year-old has a big opportunity to lock down the right-back spot, given Nigeria’s options in that position. Over the last year, Gernot Rohr has been forced to play unorthodox right-backs.
Leganes defender, Chidozie Awaziem, has played in that role in recent games, but he is a centre-back. Torino defender, Ola Aina, is another option, but he feels more suited to the left-back position.
Tyronne Ebuhehi is the only natural right-back the Super Eagles have, but he has not featured for the team since he picked up an injury that ruled him out of the whole 2018-2019 season.
So, Ehizibue could make the right-back his own depending on his performances.
