Birmingham City right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel has opened up on his decision to represent Nigeria instead of England, citing deep cultural ties, family influence and the strong bond within the Super Eagles squad.
The defender said his connection to his Nigerian roots and the sense of unity in the national team played a major role in his choice, despite being eligible to play for England after spending 14 years in the country.
Osayi-Samuel was one of Nigeria’s standout performers during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), starting six of the team’s seven matches.
One of his most notable performances came in the tense semi-final against Morocco in Rabat, where he helped Nigeria keep the Atlas Lions scoreless for 120 minutes before the Super Eagles were eventually eliminated on penalties.
Born in Okija to Nigerian parents, Osayi-Samuel made his competitive debut for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier against Guinea-Bissau under former coach José Peseiro, officially committing his international future to the West African nation.
Reflecting on whether he would have chosen England if the opportunity had arisen, the 28-year-old discussed how his upbringing influenced his mindset.
“My friends have also asked me the same question. For me, because I was so strongly influenced by my country, with my dad and mum exposing me to Nigerian culture, attending Nigerian weddings, enjoying the food and everything, playing in England means you start to play with players who represent their own countries. You start to understand the importance of playing for England,” Osayi-Samuel said on OmaSportsTV.
“But when it comes to playing football, some people might think playing for England is better, but you don’t experience the other side of it.
“When it comes to how the team works together and the overall feeling, I don’t think you’d notice that kind of connection if you were playing for England.
“Of course, football comes first. See Fulham, the way Bassey, Alex, and Samuel laugh and have fun together comes from the team’s energy and how much they love being part of it.
“I can tell that every single day they are having a great time. When you get to the Nigerian setup, that’s exactly how it is, everyone is having fun.
“You never see any bad feelings; even the players who aren’t playing are smiling and excited about the game and training. This is one of the reasons I will always choose Nigeria first.”
I started As A Winger – Bright Osayi-Samuel
Osayi-Samuel also revealed how a positional change played a key role in shaping his international journey. Originally a winger, he transitioned into a right-back role after joining Fenerbahçe, a move that eventually opened the door to his Super Eagles call-up.
“I don’t know if many people know this, but I started out as a winger, right wing, left wing,” he said.
“It was when I signed with Fenerbahçe that they wanted me to play as a right-back. At first, I didn’t like it, but over time I started playing more in that position and learning more about it.
“But then I got the chance to play for Nigeria, that’s when I was called up. So I thought, if this is how I get to play for Nigeria, I’ll take it because I’ve always dreamed of representing Nigeria.
“I’ve always believed that since I was young. Nigeria is a country that my mum and dad are really proud of, and I’m proud of it too. For me, getting a call-up was an honour. When I got the call asking if I wanted to play as a right-back, I was really excited.
“That’s one of the main reasons I took the role seriously, because it was a chance for me to play right-back for both my club and my country. As I said, I’ve never looked back.”
Beyond football, Osayi-Samuel said his choice was driven by a strong sense of identity and gratitude to his family and supporters back home.
“It’s because my mum and dad were really dedicated to making sure I learned about Nigerian culture and the food, I’ve always had that kind of experience since I was little,” the Nigerian international said.
“When I was in Spain, it was the same situation. When you come to England, you begin to learn more and play for an English team, and you get more involved with the England setup. But in my mind, I always wanted to play for Nigeria. There are a lot of family friends and relatives in Nigeria, I don’t know most of them, but my mum and dad know them all.
“Every time, they say that I have a lot of family back home who are trying to support me. Tournaments like Afcon are a way for me to give something back to them. Even after the tournament, the love and messages I’ve gotten from people back home have been really amazing.
“I’ve begun meeting new people because of this tournament, and that’s something I really enjoy and love. This is one of the reasons I will always want to play for Nigeria.”
Osayi-Samuel has now earned 32 caps for the Super Eagles since making his senior debut in a high-profile friendly against Portugal.
