TSG Hoffenheim and Nigerian defender, Kevin Akpoguma has opened up on his decision to play for Nigeria ahead of Germany. The 25-years old German-born had represented Germany at all youth level but switched allegiance to represent the Super Eagles and made his bow against Algeria in October.
“I’m in the best moment of my football now. I’ve experienced some games, saw the good ways of football, saw the bad ways of football so no, to be honest, I didn’t wait for Germany first. I don’t want to say that the German national team would be gone for me before I went to Nigeria.” Akpoguma disclosed to OmaSports.
“I would never look back or say, my God if I had waited for one or two more years I’d play for Germany. This story is finished. I don’t want to talk about this German situation anymore because I’m a Super Eagle and I’m very proud of it. It is finished.” he later added.
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The defender who was born in Germany to a Nigerian father and Dutch mother represented Germany from U16 level through to U21. He was the captain of the German national U20 side that knocked out the Flying Eagles in the Round 16 of the 2015 U20 World Cup held in New Zeeland.
Akpoguma went further to discuss how Gernot Rohr played a big part in his decision, his competitive debut against Sierra Leone, being deployed as a right-back, the current situation with his club, and how Leone Balogun has helped him settle with the Super Eagles team.
“Off the pitch, he [Balogun] is a very big help for me, he was a very big help for me and in the future still will be. But like I said I will get into it, I’d also get the routine of how we work in the Super Eagles squad.” He said of his international teammate.
