Top Serie A Striker Not Looking to Play for Nigeria at 2023 AFCON Tournament

• Joshua Zirkzee is not thinking of representing Nigeria at the 2023 AFCON
• The 22-year-old Bologna forward has scored seven goals this season in Italy
• Former Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr previously courted Zirkzee

Nigerian-born Bologna striker, Joshua Zirkzee is not willing to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations even if he gets invited to the national team by Jose Peseiro.

The 22-year-old former Bayern Munich prodigy has been strongly linked with the Super Eagles following his superb performances in the Serie A this season, where he has made nine goal contributions.

According to Own Goal Nigeria, Zirkzee, who was once approached to play for the Super Eagles by former coach Gernot Rohr, is eligible to represent the West African nation and the Netherlands after being born in Holland to a Nigerian father.

Meet the top 4 African stars who played for Eintracht Frankfurt

Football

However, the Bologna forward has ruled himself out of selection from the Nigerian squad for the 2023 edition of the AFCON as he prefers the Netherlands national team over playing for the three-time African champions.

Nigeria hopes to win a fourth AFCON trophy when the 2023 edition of Africa’s foremost international football competition kicks off in Ivory Coast in January.

Nigeria’s AFCON list nears competition

Meanwhile, Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro anticipates having his complete roster just ten days before the commencement of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Soccernet reports.

The Portuguese manager is expected to submit a provisional 27-list to the Nigeria Football Federation for vetting before its ratification and final submission to CAF for the tournament.

Nigeria, seeking a fourth AFCON title, has been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau for the tournament set to kick off on January 13, 2024.

Best African Football team: Which is the best African squad for the upcoming World Cup and why?

Football

Nigeria gets tough AFCON draw

Sports Brief previously reported that the draw for AFCON 2023 was held in Abidjan, with Nigeria facing the host nation while South Africa are drawn in Group E.

The 24 teams that qualified for the continental tournament got to know their opponents for the biggest football competition in Africa, which begins in January.

Top teams like Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Ivory Coast were all in Pot 1, with Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and Burkina Faso put in Pot 2.