Osayi-Samuel also revealed what he told Eze about Nigeria during the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Super Eagles right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel has stated that he would have urged Arsenal star Eberechi Eze to choose Nigeria over England had he been able to influence the decision at the time.
The Birmingham City defender made the revelation during a candid interview with OmaSportsTV.
Eze, who was previously courted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), eventually chose to commit his international future to the Three Lions.
The attacking midfielder was reportedly close to representing the Super Eagles and had even met with former NFF president Amaju Pinnick before making his final choice.
Since making his debut, the former Crystal Palace player has become a regular fixture in the England squad.
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Discussing Eze’s decision, Osayi-Samuel admitted he understood his friend’s choice but maintained that, given another chance to advise him, he would have championed the Super Eagles.
“Of course, he picked England, but if it were a different life, I would tell him again, exactly the same thing now—Nigeria comes first,” he said.
Osayi-Samuel also revealed details of a conversation he had with Eze during the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The defender, who was part of the Nigerian squad, said the Gunners midfielder reached out to him to ask about the atmosphere within the camp.
He noted that the conversation was meaningful, suggesting that Eze’s curiosity reflected a genuine interest in the Nigerian setup.
“Eze is one of my close friends; we’ve played together since we were young,” Osayi-Samuel said. “We had a phone call, and he asked me, ‘How is the camp?’
“The fact that he asked me that out of the blue really showed that he’s interested in seeing what’s going on [in Nigeria]. You can see everywhere on social media how the atmosphere is and how everyone is really into football.”
