Super Eagles Lose Goalkeeper Tobias Lawal To Austria

All hopes of Tobias Lawal becoming a Super Eagles goalkeeper are now gone as the goalkeeper who is contracted to LASK, was called up by the Austrian national team for their 2024 Euro qualifiers against Estonia and their friendly game against Germany.

As Austria attempts to qualify for the European championships for the fourth straight year, head coach Ralf Rangnick gave Tobias Lawal his debut call-up, ending the Nigeria Football Federation’s push to make him play for Nigeria.

Lawal was born in Linz, Austria, to Nigerian and Austrian parents. Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr extended an invitation to the 23-year-old to play For Nigeria in 2020, but he was unable to do so because of a passport issue.

Before this, he had competed for Austria at the junior level and he is expected to receive his first cap for the senior team this November. He made his Austria Under-21 team debut on June 8, 2021, against Estonia in a European U-21 Championship qualifier.

If Lawal is not featured in the game against Estonia on November 16, he could be considered for the friendly match against Germany in Vienna five days later.

After inviting the goalkeeper to the Austrian team, the head coach of the team, Ralf Rangnick said, “Tobias Lawal is doing well at LASK – both in the league and in the Europa League.

“He is a goalkeeper with a great perspective. We want to give him the chance to show himself.”

Tobias Lawal was seen as one of the players who should be called up to the Super Eagles to compete with Francis Uzoho, Maduka Okoye, Adebayo Adeleye, and Ojo Olorunleke in light of the Super Eagles’ well-documented goalkeeping issue.

Lawal has been reliable for LASK this season, starting in 20 games across all competitions and conceding 19 goals while keeping seven clean sheets.

The fact that he is not permitted to possess both a Nigerian and an Austrian passport makes his invite to the Austrian team a dead-end for Nigeria’s hope of inviting him to the Super Eagles.

Once Tobias Lawal can establish himself in the Austrian team, he will become the second player of Nigerian descent in the Austrian national team after David Alaba.