The Super Eagles’ push to secure top European-born talent has taken an unexpected and hilarious turn after a video of Wilfred Ndidi pleading with his Besiktas teammate Felix Uduokhai went viral for all the wrong reasons.
In the clip shared on social media ahead of AFCON 2025, Ndidi tried to convince the German-born defender to switch allegiance and represent Nigeria. With a smile and a soft tone, the midfielder urged, “Represent your country, bro.”
Ndidi’s pitch, Uduokhai’s punchline
When Ndidi followed up with, “Come and play for Nigeria; we want a centre back,” Uduokhai responded with pure comedy gold.
First came the suspicious glare and
“What are you doing with your phone?”
Then the uppercut:
“How much?”
A stunned Ndidi, who many Nigerians believe is future-captain material, paused before replying, “What do you mean, how much?”
Uduokhai doubled down, laughing:
“If you want money, just don’t bother.”
The exchange is believed to have happened shortly after Besiktas’ 2–0 win over Karagumruk, where Uduokhai was an unused substitute but Ndidi delivered a monstrous display with the most tackles (4), most duels won (7), a created chance, one key pass, and 100% of his long balls completed.
A viral moment, a deeper question
The funny clip has exploded across Nigerian football spaces, inspiring memes, heated debates, and reflection about national team identity in modern football.
The central question?
What actually motivates dual-nationality players today: passion or payment?
Uduokhai, born to a Nigerian father and German mother, remains eligible to play for the Super Eagles, but his joking remarks have reignited conversations about the challenges Nigeria faces in luring top diaspora talent.
For Ndidi and the Super Eagles setup, the mission is unchanged:
Convince players to commit not for dollars or euros, but for the pride, history, and honour of wearing green and white on football’s biggest stages.
