Real Madrid’s team B center-back and Spanish youth international, Derik Osede Prieto has dumped the Spanish national team to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Derik who has a Nigerian father has played for Spanish youth level teams but is qualified to play for Nigerian senior team for two reasons.
According to FIFA rules, since he has not played for the senior national team, he can still switch. Secondly, he is Nigerian by origin.
Derik told the BBC that this will be an opportunity to connect with his ancestral root. “But I crave for something special with Nigeria because it will give me a chance to properly connect with the ancestral home of my father.
“My father is from Benin City [southern Nigeria] and even though I have never been there I always follow events in Nigeria.
“I celebrated when the country won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and I was cheering the team at the last World Cup in Brazil.”
The young man added that he is not asking for favours but an opportunity to put on the green and white colours of Nigeria and show what he can do for his fatherland.
