Tottenham’s rising star open to play for Super Eagles

London-born goalkeeper Joseph Oluwayemi has publicly said that he would not rule out playing for Nigeria’s Super Eagles in his future international career.

Currently, the 19-year-old plays for London’s Tottenham Hotspur as a youth goalkeeper, and has attracted the attention of both Nigerian and English scouts thanks to his talent. 

Joseph Oluwayemi has previously played for England at U15 and U16 level, but both these postings were under a non-binding agreement, meaning that he can play for Nigeria freely if he so wished without having to apply for a one-time change of association. 

Oluwayemi is eligible to play for Nigeria through his father, Abiodun Ogunyemi, who retains his nationality for his two sons, Joseph and 17-year-old Tobi, who also plays in goal for Scottish team Celtic’s youth squad. 

In conversation with Team Nigeria UK over social media on Monday evening, Joseph Oluwayemi said that although “I have never actually travelled to Nigeria but the thing with London, the community, is like I have been to Nigeria”. 

When asked about what his future plans were for international play, he said "Definitely I'll be looking at Nigeria but my options are open."

Oluwayemi’s story is not an uncommon one, as many young players growing up in London share dual nationality. London’s vibrancy has enabled communities to keep their cultural heritage and stay connected to their parents’ upbringing. 

His talent has already taken him to international level and it will be interesting to see if this star player later chooses the country of his father’s birth or his own. 

Photo: Sports Compass