Nigeria’s Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has insisted that he made the right choice choosing to play for Nigeria over European powerhouse Germany, the country where he was born and raised.
Manager Gernot Rohr took everyone by surprise by handing a debut to the Fortuna Düsseldorf youthful rookie goalkeeper in the 63rd minute of the friendly against Brazil last month after first-choice goalie Francis Uzoho suffered a serious injury.
”I love this country, it is an easy decision for me. I feel like I am one hundred percent ‘Naija’, that’s why I chose Nigeria over anything else,” Okoye said.
”It is a dream come true wearing the green white green. I always wanted to wear it, it is a pleasure and I’m so honored to play for this country, I made my debut against such a big country.
”I am just looking forward to getting better and having more caps for my country.”
Okoye noted that a week’s training in Germany is not as difficult as the Super Eagles training.
The 20-year-old explained : ”It is different from German football. Of course in Germany we do in pre-season hard work.
”Here with the Super Eagles it’s everyday hard work no matter how the weather is or something else.
”It is really hard with these conditions, like 32 degrees, but I get used to it and it is getting better day by day.”
On the competition with more experienced goalkeepers Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Okoye said : ”We are pushing each other and this will get us better. We are like brothers, it’s a family, as I said we’re pushing each other”.
Born in Düsseldorf to a Nigerian father and German mom, Okoye has yet to make his professional debut for Fortuna Düsseldorf but recently made the matchday squad when the first team faced Erzgebirge Aue in the DFB Pokal.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
