England picks three players of Nigerian descent for its 2023 U20 World Cup squad

THREE players of Nigerian descent have been named in England's U20 squad that had just been published ahead of the forthcoming Fifa youth World Cup due to kick off in Argentina on May 20.

England are one of ther24 nations to compete in the tournament which kicks off later this month, where they are drawn in Group E alongside Uruguay, Iraq and Tunisia. Taking place across the four host cities of La Plata, Mendoza, San Juan and Santiago del Estero, the tournament will see England hoping to regain the trophy they last won six years ago in South Korea.

Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka tops the list of the Nigerian trio currently playing in the English Premier League who have been named in the squad. Chukwuemeka, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for a fee of £20m, is considered one of the most promising young talents in English football.

Despite struggling to break into the Chelsea first team, he showcased his abilities during England’s triumphant campaign in the Under-19 European Championship last summer. Joining Chukwuemeka in the squad are Daniel Oyegoke from Brentford and Sam Edozie from Southampton, both of Nigerian heritage.

Oyegoke, a defender, has been a standout performer for Brentford, while Edozie has impressed with his performances for Southampton. This inclusion of Chukwuemeka, Oyegoke and Edozie not only underscores their talents but also reflects the growing inclusivity within English football, where players from diverse cultural backgrounds contribute to the success of national teams.

Now that they have all been picked for England, if they want to represent Nigeria at senior level, they will have to go through a switch with Fifa. Several players have successfully done this in the past but the process involves a delay and those affected are not be able to feature for the Super Eagles until the clearance comes through.