{
  "id": 13104519,
  "title": "Super Eagles: Blackburn Rovers striker chooses Nigeria over England",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/super-eagles-blackburn-rovers-striker-chooses-nigeria-over-england",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T11:14:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/09/super-eagles-blackburn-rovers-striker-chooses-nigeria-over-england/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Blackburn Rovers' forward, Dapo Afolayan, has expressed his desire to represent Nigeria, stating that playing for the Super Eagles remains a top aspiration for him. The striker, who has shown remarkable form this season, nearly secured a previous call-up to the national team but missed out due to circumstances beyond his control. Afolayan, who currently plays for Blackburn, visited the Super Eagles' team hotel during the 2025 Unity Cup in London, where he met with both players and coaching staff, further solidifying his ties to the Nigerian football organization. Earlier in his career, Afolayan had played for England's C team, a squad comprised of non-league players, but remains eligible to represent Nigeria. Despite his impressive performances, Afolayan has faced challenges in securing a place in the Super Eagles, as his recent success in the Bundesliga was overshadowed by a lack of playing time before the March break, which prevented his selection. Among other players, Bristol City's Rio Cardines, Millwall's Lyndon Dykes, and West Ham's Konstantinos Mavropanos are also vying for the Championship Player of the Month award.",
  "summary": "Blackburn Rovers forward, Dapo Afolayan, has disclosed that playing for Nigeria remains one of his foremost aspirations, acknowledging that he came close to receiving a call-up to the Super Eagles previously. Afolayan demonstrated exceptional form before the September/October international break, making four goals contributions in his final two Championship appearances. His outstanding…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}