Adebayo Akinfenwa jokes he didn’t play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria because of his large jersey size
Rave of the moment Adebayo Akinfenwa has joked that he did not play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria due to his large jersey size.
Akinfenwa who was born in England but of Nigerian descent explained in an interview with ESPN why he did not switch his international allegiance.
He stated in the interview that he almost played for the Super Eagles when he was just 21-years-old but did not get an invite.
Akinfenwa then went on to joke about his large size before citing that Nigerian was blessed with good strikers.
In the interview, Akinfenwa who just helped Wycombe Wanderers gain promotion to the English Championship said, “I had [interest] when I was young,”
“I was 21 when I hooked up with [former England striker of Nigerian origin] John Fashanu; there was talk then, but Nigeria are always blessed with great strikers so it was harder for me.
“I know there was a campaign one time to try and get me out there, but they weren’t really feeling me and that… maybe they haven’t got a kit that can fit me.”
“I remember the 1994 World Cup, the Super Eagles with [Daniel] Amokachi, Jay-Jay Okocha and [Rashidi] Yekini like it was yesterday,” he told ESPN. “It was such an immense feeling, coming up against Argentina, and I can remember that World Cup being amazing for Nigeria.
“It leaves an impression, and what I loved the most was the fact that you saw our culture, when they scored; and those celebrations, you saw the colours.
“So as a Nigerian [I saw to] never be afraid to embrace your culture, to let people know what your culture is, and I don’t shy away from who I am. Everything I do, I let [people] see who I am and I don’t shy away from being me; that’s what I take away from 1994 and 1998.
“That was what I got from it, as a youngster, going into manhood; that was what I was able to take from watching the Super Eagles.”
“There are changing times, different generations, different mindsets, and from the Amokachis, the Yekinis, the Jay-Jay Okochas, cultural representation has changed now, to the way you’re looking at Iwobi, and it’s the new-age generation, the new-age culture.
“To be fair, it’s always been there, but now there’s a vehicle and an avenue where it all gets put together, and you get to see it.
“[Nigerian musicians] Burna Boy and Davido come down and you see the young Nigerian boys in their concerts, you see them watching them and then you see them watching the games, and it’s all now moving together.”
