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Former Super Eagles defender Sam Sodje has expressed concern that the NFF’s current approach to recruiting foreign-born players is problematic.
In a conversation with Brila.net, Sodje said that he fully supports the inclusion of foreign players.
However, he highlighted that the lack of attention to local players is creating an imbalance in the team.
“There is nothing wrong with inviting foreign-born players to play for the national team.
“Coming from me, who was born in London, but I had the opportunity to play for my national team, it became the best moment of my life and all the players will tell you that.
“But that’s not the problem. The problem is the way the NFF is doing it. That’s the problem,” he said.
Sodje recalled that there was a deliberate effort to maintain a mix of players from local and international leagues.
“I think when we played we had between three and five local players in camp, so the pool of players to choose from was both abroad and at home.
“But at the moment, the latest NFF regime has forgotten about the local league and they prioritize going abroad to select players regardless of their ability.
“A player will only debut once, regardless of which club he debuts for in the UK, and you are qualified to play for the national team. I think that’s where the problem is,” he added.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need for the NFF to invest in the national league to create a reliable talent pool for the national team.
“If they can at least work in the league, it will be better.
“We know that the league in Nigeria is very bad, but your job is to ensure that it is decent and that we have a group of players to choose from,” Sodje concluded.
Also read: The Super Eagles beat Iran 2-1 in a friendly
The debate over abandoning the national league has continued to draw criticism from former players and the Nigerian public.
Many believe that the Nigerian Premier Football League has been sidelined in favor of foreign talents.
According to the 2025 rankings of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, the NPFL is currently ranked 91st globally, a drop of 15 places from its 76th position in 2024.
