Former Super Eagles coach Rohr tells Benin Republic players to forget their Nigerian origins as they prepare for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
Gernot Rohr, the head coach of Benin Republic, has urged two players with Nigerian roots to disregard their allegiance to Nigeria during their match against Super Eagles in Uyo for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Saturday.
In his roster for the Nigeria game, Rohr has included Lagos-born striker Tosin Aiyegun from Lorient and Junior Olaitan from Grenoble Foot 38.
A Beninese mother and a Nigerian father gave birth to Olaitan in Porto-Novo.
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Despite being eligible to represent the Super Eagles, the 31-year-old forward chose to pledge his international future to the Cheetahs, despite having grown up in Lagos, Nigeria.
Despite being scouted by Rohr for a potential Super Eagles call-up, Aiyegun never received an invitation. Unfortunately, before that opportunity could materialize he was dismissed from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in 2021.
During his pre-match press conference, Rohr stated that there are Nigerian-born players who speak Yoruba because their neighboring country is Nigeria. He advised them to disregard the fact they have some connection with Nigeria and focus solely on playing for their current team.
Currently, they are representing Benin and their dedication to their nation is unparalleled. I am confident that this newfound motivation will inspire them to showcase their talents in such a way that proves they could also excel if given the opportunity to play for Nigeria.
“I hope they won’t encounter any issues.”
