The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has named its squad for upcoming Under-21 international friendlies against Croatia and Qatar, with two players of Nigerian heritage included in the travelling party as Ireland continues to secure promising dual-national talents.
Dundalk forward Gbemi Arubi and Peterborough United defender David Okagbue have both been selected by Ireland U21 manager Jim Crawford for the fixtures in Zagreb, providing the pair with another opportunity to strengthen their international credentials.
Arubi’s inclusion is particularly noteworthy, with the 22-year-old attacker rewarded for an impressive run of form in the League of Ireland Premier Division.
The Dundalk forward has emerged as one of the standout performers in recent weeks, earning his first call-up to Ireland’s U21 setup since representing the country at Under-19 level.
The Dublin-born striker, who is eligible to represent Nigeria through his father, has been on the radar of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) amid growing interest in his development.
However, Ireland have made the first move by bringing the forward back into the national team fold.
Arubi has enjoyed a productive spell for Dundalk, registering four goal involvements in his last five league appearances, including three goals and one assist.
His recent performances were highlighted by a match-winning strike against Derry City last Friday, further underlining his growing reputation as one of the league’s most exciting attacking talents.
The call-up marks a significant return to international football for the young forward, who has spent the last four years away from Ireland’s youth national teams.
His previous appearance for the Boys in Green came in June 2022 during a friendly encounter against Iceland.
While his selection has intensified discussions surrounding his international future, the upcoming matches against Croatia and Qatar will not permanently tie him to Ireland.
As both fixtures are friendly matches, Arubi remains eligible to switch allegiance and represent Nigeria at senior international level should the opportunity arise in the future.
