Former Super Eagles midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana, has shared his thoughts on being left out of Nigeria’s squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, saying that no one even cared to explain his omission despite his significant contributions during the qualification process.
Olofinjana, who represented the Super Eagles 48 times from 2000 to 2011, expressed his disappointment at missing the tournament, particularly after having captained the team in several qualifying matches.
In an interview on the Play Zone podcast, the former Hull City midfielder expressed his confusion regarding the decision, emphasizing that neither the coaching staff nor the Nigeria Football Federation reached out to him to clarify the reasons for his exclusion from the final squad.
“2010 would have been my World Cup. I played all the qualifiers, in fact, I captained half of them, and to this day, no one has informed me why I wasn’t chosen,” Olofinjana remarked.
“I did not receive a single phone call from anyone. Not from players, not from staff. I shouldn’t have to inquire.”
The former Stoke City midfielder highlighted that while no player is guaranteed a place in the national team, he anticipated some form of communication following his efforts during the qualifiers.
“It reflects on the culture; if someone is deemed capable of leading a nation of 250 million people, not just once but multiple times during the qualifiers for the World Cup, and then is simply overlooked, I won’t question it,” he continued.
“There is no divine right for anyone to be chosen for the Super Eagles. Selections are made based on merit. Just because I have accomplished all of that does not automatically mean I am deemed worthy. However, there should have been an explanation.”
Olofinjana expressed the pride he experienced whenever he represented his country, emphasizing that donning the green and white jersey was always a privilege.
“Whenever Nigeria is engaged in a match, whether friendly or competitive, I ensure my presence because, for me, it transcended mere street football; I was playing for Nigeria.
“And it held significance every single time I donned the Nigerian colors, green, white, green; I wore them with great pride,” he added.
(Daily Post)
