{"id":835175,"date":"2025-03-19T10:13:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:13:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/felix-uduokhai-why-its-time-for-besiktas-star-to-ditch-germany-and-boost-nigerias-world-cup-dream\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T10:13:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:13:44","slug":"felix-uduokhai-why-its-time-for-besiktas-star-to-ditch-germany-and-boost-nigerias-world-cup-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/felix-uduokhai-why-its-time-for-besiktas-star-to-ditch-germany-and-boost-nigerias-world-cup-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Felix Uduokhai: Why it\u2019s time for Besiktas star to ditch Germany and boost Nigeria\u2019s World Cup dream"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Super+Eagles+\">Super Eagles<\/a> are blessed with an array of attacking talents that make even Brazil green with envy, but the defence has been the team\u2019s Achilles\u2019 heel, <a href=\"https:\/\/Soccernet.ng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soccernet.ng<\/a> notes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The numbers paint a grim picture \u2014 five goals conceded in just four <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=World+cup\">World Cup<\/a> qualifying games, not a single clean sheet, and a defensive unit that looks increasingly fragile against even modest opposition.<\/p>\n<p>If these struggles continue, a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will remain a distant dream.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_153915\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-153915\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GmLQK00a4AEV2ZW.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X \" width=\"842\" height=\"842\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-153915\">Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>New head coach <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Eric+Chelle+\">Eric Chelle<\/a> has recognized the need for defensive reinforcements, calling up <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Torunarigha\">Jordan Torunarigha<\/a> (one Super Eagles cap) and <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Ogbu\">Igoh Ogbu<\/a> (debut call-up) for Nigeria\u2019s crucial games against <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Rwanda\">Rwanda<\/a> and Zimbabwe. But the reality is, Nigeria need more than just squad depth \u2014 the Super Eagles need a genuine defensive leader.<\/p>\n<p>Enter Felix Uduokhai.<\/p>\n<p>The Be\u015fikta\u015f centre-back is a high-level defender with the technical ability and experience to transform Nigeria\u2019s backline.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FELIX UDUOKHAI \u25cf Welcome to Be\u015fikta\u015f \u26aa\u26ab????????\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tmGrIvTf4a8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Yet, despite his consistent form, Germany have continued to overlook him.<\/p>\n<p>Following another snub from Germany\u2019s latest squad, the question must be asked \u2014 is it finally time for Uduokhai to embrace his Nigerian heritage and help lead the Super Eagles back to the World Cup?<\/p>\n<blockquote data-media-max-width=\"560\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\n<p>Felix Uduokhai on Germany &#038; Nigeria:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was disappointed I didn\u2019t get called up. It\u2019s my dream to play for Germany but that isn\u2019t certain for now.<\/p>\n<p>\u201dBefore World Cup,Nigeria approached me,but I don\u2019t know if they still want me because they haven\u2019t been in touch since last time.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0kJvA2eWRE\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/0kJvA2eWRE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2014 FAST TRACK (@FastTrackNaija) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FastTrackNaija\/status\/1187642152752500736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">October 25, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Soccer Felix Uduokhai: Germany dream over; Nigeria, the future<\/h2>\n<p>Felix Uduokhai was once a rising star in German football, earning call-ups for their U19, U20, and U21 teams. In 2020, he even made Germany\u2019s senior squad, though he never won a cap. He was part of their Olympic team that year, scoring a crucial goal against Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_153912\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-153912\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GjxVafdW8AAVyz4.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X\" width=\"1283\" height=\"1799\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-153912\">Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But since then, his Germany ambitions have stalled. He has never been handed a competitive international cap, and at 27, he is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesliga.com\/en\/bundesliga\/news\/germany-squad-italy-nations-league-quarter-final-nagelsmann-goretzka-amiri-kimmich-31318\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no longer in the plans of Julian Nagelsmann<\/a> or the German FA.<\/p>\n<p>Despite strong performances for Augsburg and now Be\u015fikta\u015f, Germany has continued to ignore him \u2014 this month\u2019s international break being the latest snub.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-media-max-width=\"560\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\n<p>Thank you, Felix <\/p>\n<p>Felix Uduokhai is joining Besiktas JK Istanbul on an immediate transfer. <\/p>\n<p>Wishing you and your family nothing but the best \u2764\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nJ4zWQUS74\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/nJ4zWQUS74<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2014 FC Augsburg (@FCA_World) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FCA_World\/status\/1828371960306225250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Germany\u2019s centre-back options are already stacked, with Antonio R\u00fcdiger, Jonathan Tah, and Nico Schlotterbeck leading the way. Young stars like Malick Thiaw and Waldemar Anton are also ahead of Uduokhai in the pecking order. At this point, waiting for Germany is a dead-end.<\/p>\n<p>Nigeria, on the other hand, presents a golden opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Germany, Nigeria is crying out for a commanding centre-back like Uduokhai. The Super Eagles\u2019 defensive problems have been laid bare in recent months, and while the likes of William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey provide some stability, the centre of defence remains a glaring weakness.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_153913\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-153913\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GmLH_N8WsAA4_gZ.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X\" width=\"1028\" height=\"694\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-153913\">Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If Uduokhai, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/share\/r\/1XhPwCHzsZ\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">who admires former teammate Victor Osimhen and prefers Jollof rice<\/a>, switches allegiance now, he could walk straight into the Super Eagles\u2019 starting XI.<\/p>\n<p>With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers heating up, Nigeria need defenders who can slot in immediately and make a difference. Uduokhai fits the bill perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>A move to Nigeria would not just give him international football but also the opportunity to become a defensive leader for a team aiming to make a deep World Cup run.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_153914\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-153914\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Fpf8DvNWIAEyGWM.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X\" width=\"1170\" height=\"1458\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-153914\">Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>With Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo, and Leon Balogun all entering the twilight of their careers, Nigeria need a new generation of defenders. Uduokhai could be the experienced pillar around which Chelle builds his backline.<\/p>\n<h2>Soccer World Cup ambitions: A chance Felix Uduokhai can\u2019t afford to miss<\/h2>\n<p>For any player, the opportunity to play at a World Cup is a career-defining moment.<\/p>\n<p>If Uduokhai switches allegiance to Nigeria now, he could be an integral part of the squad at the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico \u2013 should he help the Super Eagles qualify.<\/p>\n<p>Germany is unlikely to offer him that chance. Even if he were to miraculously break into the German setup, he would be a backup option at best. With Nigeria, he would be a starter, a key man, and a potential hero.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_153911\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-153911\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Gj_YU8SXwAA_2Pu.jpeg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X\" width=\"496\" height=\"619\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-153911\">Nigeria-German and Besiktas star Felix Uduokhai. Photo Credit X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Super Eagles\u2019 attacking quality \u2014 led by Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze \u2014 means that if the defence is solidified, Nigeria could be a serious force at the World Cup. But without defensive reinforcements, qualifying remains in doubt.<\/p>\n<p>Uduokhai has the chance to be part of something special. He can be the leader of a defensive resurgence that helps Nigeria return to the global stage.<\/p>\n<h2>Soccer Soccernet.ng\u2019s verdict: The time is now!<\/h2>\n<p>Felix Uduokhai has a decision to make.<\/p>\n<p>The dream of playing for Germany is fading, while Nigeria is calling with open arms. He is exactly the kind of player the Super Eagles need, and with his prime years ahead, this is the perfect time to make the switch.<\/p>\n<p>If Uduokhai wants to play at a World Cup, be a national team leader, and write his name in history, then the choice is simple\u2014it\u2019s time to dump Germany and fuel Nigeria\u2019s World Cup dreams.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/03\/felix-uduokhai-besiktas-germany-nigerias.html\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer The Super Eagles are blessed with an array of attacking talents that make even Brazil green with envy, but the defence has been the team\u2019s Achilles\u2019 heel, Soccernet.ng notes. The numbers paint a grim picture \u2014 five goals conceded in just four World Cup qualifying games, not a single clean sheet, and a defensive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":835176,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30213,2005,142600],"tags":[17722,142599],"class_list":{"0":"post-835175","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-felix","8":"category-soccer","9":"category-uduokhai","10":"tag-felix","11":"tag-uduokhai"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=835175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/835176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=835175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=835175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=835175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}