Karim Adeyemi: Why Borussia Dortmund Star Can’t Play for Super Eagles After Euro 2024 Snub

• Karim Adeyemi cannot switch nationalities to feature for the Super Eagles
• The Borussia Dortmund star was dropped from Germany’s Euro 2024 squad
• Adeyemi’s last appearance for the German senior national team was in 2022

Karim Adeyemi’s surprise exclusion from Germany’s squad for the 2024 UEFA European Championship has prompted Nigerians to beckon on the star to switch allegiance.

The Borussia Dortmund star was one of the top exclusions from Julian Nagelsmann’s 27-man squad for the tournament to be staged in Germany, having had an impressive season for Borussia Dortmund.

According to the Punch NG, Adeyemi’s last appearance for the German national team was in 2022 against Hungary and he was also in Die Mannschaft’s team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Club Brugge legends: Top 10 all-time greats for the Blauw-Zwart

Football

The 22-year-old forward, who was born in Germany to a Nigerian father, played for the European nation's Under-16, U-17, and U-21 squads before making his senior debut in a 6–0 victory over Armenia in 2022.

Due to FIFA restrictions, Adeyemi will no longer be able to switch his allegiance from Germany to the Super Eagles despite numerous calls for the Dortmund star to play for Nigeria.

What does the FIFA rules say?

Per Own Goal Nigeria, a footballer can switch allegiance to another national team despite featuring for one country at senior level based on FIFA’s exceptions on these eligibility rules:

1. The player held the nationality of their new association at the time of their first official appearance for their first national team and the player played in no more than three competitive senior games before the age of 21.
2. The player has not played in the final stage of an official tournament such as the FIFA World Cup, European Championship, Copa America, etc.
3. A player can change to a new national team even if they did not hold that nationality at the time of their first appearance for their old national team, as long as they last played for the old national team before the age of 21.
4. A competitive cap will not keep a player tied to a national team in the event that they suddenly become stateless that is, lose their nationality against their will.

A list of the best Nigerian players abroad: Super Eagles’ best footballers

Football

FIFA rules knock Adeyemi off

Based on the rules cited above, Adeyemi will no longer be able to represent the Super Eagles as the Dortmund star has represented the German national team in a World Cup qualifier.

All four amendments in the FIFA eligibility rules have dented the chances of the former RB Leipzig winger switching to Nigeria after being dropped from the host nation's Euro 2024 squad.

Adeyemi axed from Germany’s Euro squad

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Adeyemi has been dropped from Germany's Euro 2024 campaign after being left off of the tournament's provisional squad.

The 22-year-old winger is part of several Borussia Dortmund players dropped from Nagelsmann’s 27-man squad for the tournament kicking off next month.