The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has received a significant boost in their pursuit of talented young players, as Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu and Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise have been omitted from France's squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament, according to All Nigeria Soccer.
France manager Didier Deschamps announced his 25-man squad for the tournament on Thursday, and to the surprise of many, Ugochukwu and Olise were not included. This omission is a significant development for the NFF, as both players have been provisionally cap-tied to France and would have become ineligible to represent Nigeria if they had been selected for the European Championship.
Ugochukwu, a talented young midfielder, has been making waves at Chelsea with his impressive performances, while Olise has been a key player for Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Both players have been courted by the NFF for some time, and their omission from France's squad has given Nigeria a golden opportunity to persuade them to switch allegiance.
According to FIFA's rules, any appearance in the final tournament of a confederation competition or the World Cup permanently cap-ties a player, making them ineligible to represent another country. With Ugochukwu and Olise not selected for the European Championship, the door is now open for the NFF to convince them to represent Nigeria in future competitions.
0 Comments