Igho Ogbu Snubbed Norway for Nigeria
Igho Ogbu Snubbed Norway for Nigeria
New Super Eagles invitee Igho Ogbu has disclosed that he declined an opportunity to play for Norway in order to pursue his dream of representing Nigeria.
Ogbu, who previously played with the Flying Eagles in 2019, moved to Norway in 2018 and received an invitation to join the national team during his last season at Lillestrøm. After departing from Gombe United that same year, he went on to play for five clubs—four of which were in Norway—before making a high-profile transfer to Slavia Prague for a record €2.5 million in January 2023.
Reflecting on his choice to forgo the Norwegian opportunity, Ogbu revealed that it was a deeply personal decision influenced by the wishes of his late father. “There was a chance to play for Norway in my last season with Lillestrøm,” he told SCORENigeria. “But I always believed my opportunity with the Super Eagles would come.”
His persistence paid off this year when he was included in coach Eric Chelle’s 23-man squad for the critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
