Olise no longer eligible for Super Eagles as Bayern Munich dazzler plays cap-tying game for France

Speculation over the international future of Michael Olise ended once and for all on Friday evening, with the Bayern Munich dazzler making his competitive debut for France's senior national team, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

By starting for France in their UEFA Nations League encounter against Italy at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Olise is now cap-tied to Les Bleus, ruling him out from representing Nigeria, England or Algeria in the future.

Against the Italians, the Chelsea and Reading academy product started and was in action for 58 minutes before making way for Ousmane Dembélé.

After Bradley Barcola broke the deadlock in the opening minute, Olise came close to scoring a debut goal but was prevented from doing so by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who stretched to save a shot from outside the box.

Although born in London, Olise qualified to play for Nigeria through his father, Algeria through his mother as well as his country of birth, England. 

The Nigerian, Algerian and English Associations made attempts to convince him to switch his allegiance to their respective nations but it was a wild goose chase as he had already made up his mind to remain with France. 

The Nigeria Football Federation made the first attempt to secure the quad-national attacker by listing him for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers versus Benin and Lesotho, but he chose not to attend the matches.

Nigeria won the recruitment battle for four other London-born players Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Joe Aribo and Ademola Lookman.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: fff.fr

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