Former Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick has revealed that Eberechi Eze was close to committing his international future to the Super Eagles before ultimately choosing England.
Speaking on The Playzone and Dangolo Way podcast, Pinnick said discussions with Eze and his family were advanced, with paperwork already prepared for the Arsenal midfielder to switch allegiance.
“Eberechi Eze came, I met his dad, and we had a long discussion. He agreed to play for Nigeria,” Pinnick said. “At the time, his sister was his manager. She came to my flat and we had all the documentation ready.”
Eze, then a Queens Park Rangers player, even trained with the Super Eagles during a London camp in 2017, raising hopes that his debut was imminent. However, Pinnick explained that Nigeria were later asked to pause the process.
“They told us to hold on, and that was it,” he added. “Then elections came, I left the NFF, and things changed. That probably played a role.”
According to Pinnick, there was no doubt about Eze’s affection for Nigeria. “He loved Nigeria. I can tell you that. I’ve even gone back to check my messages with him.”
Eze would go on to make his senior England debut in 2023, six years after his involvement with Nigeria. He has since earned 16 caps for the Three Lions, starting four matches.
During Pinnick’s tenure from 2014 to 2022, the NFF successfully convinced several foreign-born players—Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman and Calvin Bassey among them—to represent Nigeria. Others, including Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi, Tammy Abraham and Eze, opted for European national teams.
Pinnick compared Eze’s case to Lookman’s, describing both as complex. “Lookman was very tough,” he said. “But eventually we got him—and many others.”
Eze had been included in Nigeria’s plans for friendlies against Senegal and Burkina Faso in 2017, but those matches were later cancelled due to security concerns, closing a window that never reopened.
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