Karim Adeyemi, currently representing Germany at the international level, could potentially switch allegiance to Nigeria’s Super Eagles, despite having made four appearances for Germany.
The Borussia Dortmund star began his international career with Germany’s U-16 team in February 2018 and progressed to make his senior debut three years later.
However, Adeyemi remains eligible to represent Nigeria, as his father is Nigerian. He maintains a connection to his Nigerian heritage by regularly visiting the country to promote his academy in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Despite his appearances for Germany, Adeyemi’s omission from Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for Euro 2024 presents an opportunity for the Super Eagles to persuade him to switch allegiance. Under FIFA rules, a player can change their international allegiance if they have played no more than three competitive matches before turning 21, provided those matches are in international competitions such as the World Cup or continental tournaments.
While Adeyemi has four competitive caps for Germany, three of them came in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with the fourth in the UEFA Nations League. The interpretation of his participation in the UEFA Nations League remains uncertain. Nonetheless, his absence from Germany’s Euro squad provides optimism for Nigeria’s pursuit of the talented youngster.
