Former Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has opened up about his decision to pledge his international future to Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
In a recent chat with the Super Eagles media team, the Wrexham shot-stopper shared his excitement over finally becoming eligible for selection, revealing that talks with team officials actually began last summer.
“It is a privilege to be granted the chance to play for your country. I am extremely excited and eagerly await the opportunity,” Okonkwo said.
“I have been looking forward to this moment for quite some time, and to finally have the chance is remarkable,” he shared.
“The process began last summer when I spoke with the manager and the goalkeeping coach. They expressed their interest in me, and the discussions were very encouraging. Since then, we have been working to finalize my switch from England to Nigeria,” he continued.
The young goalkeeper also recalled the emotional moment he found out his international clearance had come through, with the team’s goalkeeping coach delivering the good news first.
“When the moment finally came, the goalkeeping coach was the first to message me, letting me know that I had been selected for the camp. You experience a surge of excitement.
“The first two people I called were my dad and my mom. I am filled with happiness and pride. I have not yet informed the rest of my family, but they will soon find out, and I am certain they will be thrilled.”
Okonkwo made it clear that his ultimate motivation for switching allegiance to Nigeria is a deep hunger to bring silverware back to his roots.
“The reason for my decision is that I aspire to win trophies for my country. I understand how much Nigerians cherish football and how significant it is to them, and being able to contribute to that for my country and my roots would be extraordinary.”
