'It remains an honor to represent Nigeria' - Ex-Germany U20 captain says he wants to play at 2023 AFCON

KAA Gent central defender Jordan Torunarigha has said that he hopes to be named in the Super Eagles squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations that begins in Ivory Coast on January 13, 2024.

Prior to switching his international allegiance to Nigeria, Torunarigha represented his country of birth Germany at U16, U18, U19, U21 and U23 levels and was named captain of the U20 squad for an U20 Elite League match with Netherlands on October 5, 2017.

He earned his first call-up to the Nigeria national team for a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe in September but remained rooted to the bench for the entirety of the game, just as was the case in the friendly with Saudi Arabia the following month.

He made his senior debut in a friendly against Mozambique on October 16, lasting 75 minutes on the pitch to become the third German-born player to represent the Super Eagles in recent years after Leon Balogun and Kevin Akpoguma.

Torunarigha has a tough task on his hand to be in the Super Eagles squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, with the likes of Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo, William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey ahead of him in manager Jose Peseiro's pecking order of central defenders. 

Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad (subscription required) before Gent's Europa Conference League meeting with Icelandic club Breiðablik, Torunarigha said: "I'm just doing my best and hoping for a selection. It remains an honor to represent Nigeria.

"Nine boys from our team can indeed be called up in January, which is quite a lot. But first we go to Iceland. I've never been there before, but I'm not afraid of the temperatures. I often take ice baths".

The 26-year-old Torunarigha will discover if he has been named on Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations roster next month.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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