Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has voiced his disappointment over Michael Olise’s decision to represent France instead of Nigeria at international level.
Speaking on his Global Football Insights Podcast ahead of Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash against Real Madrid, Oliseh praised the winger’s immense talent but admitted frustration over his international allegiance.
“When I see the way Olise plays, I love it,” Oliseh said. “But it gets me angry that I am saying Olise should not be wearing the French national team jersey; he should be wearing the green-white-green jersey of Nigeria.”
The former midfielder, who played for top European clubs like Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, highlighted Olise’s composure and elite potential.
“He is so good and might one day contend for the Ballon d’Or. Defenders are feeling helpless against him, and now they foul him, insult him to provoke him, and he is a quiet person,” he added.
Born in England to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother, Olise was eligible to represent multiple nations. However, the 24-year-old committed his international future to France, making his senior debut in 2023.
Oliseh’s comments reflect a broader concern in Nigerian football about dual-nationality players opting to represent other countries despite their eligibility for the Super Eagles.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
