Playing For Nigeria Has Always Been My Desire – Gabriel Osho

New Super Eagles defender, Gabriel Osho said he had always wanted to play for the national team years before he got his first invite.

Note that Gabriel Osho who currently plays for French side, AJ Auxerre is part of the players preparing for the Super Eagles’ final 2025 AFCON qualifiers game, which is against Rwanda at 5 p.m. later today, November 18.

Gabriel Osho received his first cap for the Super Eagles from coach Austin Eguavoen last Thursday during an important qualifier against the Benin Republic at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

During his debut, he played for 45 minutes before he was substituted at halftime, as the Super Eagles faced challenges in the first half, falling behind to an unexpected goal from a corner kick that slipped past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Despite the way his debut unfolded, Osho expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity. “It’s been an amazing experience. I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time, and I’m thankful to God for being here. The weather was nice initially, but then the rain came down heavily during our warm-up, which added to the experience,” he told OgaNLA media.

Although he was initially set to join the team for friendly matches against Ghana and Mali in March, he was unable to participate due to an injury.

Reflecting on his journey, Osho said, “It wasn’t difficult for me to connect with the Nigerian national teams. I visited Nigeria before the U-17 team won the World Cup in 2015. I came to the camp back then, and playing for Nigeria has always been my desire.”

He emphasized the importance of family ties, stating, “I have visited Nigeria four times while growing up. Your family blood is the real blood, and returning was never a hard decision.”

Gabriel Osho is expected to play for the Super Eagles during the 2025 AFCON in Morocco because the national team has booked themselves a place in the tournament thanks to their 1-1 draw. The outcome of their game against Rwanda is inconsequential to the Nigerian team.

Ahead of the Rwanda clash, Osho noted the team’s collective effort to secure their 2025 AFCON qualification, saying, “We did what we needed to do to achieve the win. I believe we can improve as a team and I can perform better individually as well. Thankfully, everyone came out without injuries, and we are grateful for the victory.”

Since joining Auxerre from Luton, where he featured in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season, Osho has already made nine appearances in the French topflight, indicating a promising start to his new campaign.

The talented player decided to switch from England to represent Nigeria, after failing to secure an invite to the Three Lions.