'I will make a choice' - Genoa defender admits he's torn between representing Nigeria or Italy

Following his inclusion in the starting lineup against Bologna this past weekend, Alessandro Marcandalli became the third youngster of Nigerian descent to make his Serie A debut for Genoa in the ongoing season, emulating talented teenagers Jeff Ekhator (17) and Honest Ahanor (16).

Born in Bergamo twenty-one years ago, the former Atalanta youth teamer qualifies to represent the Super Eagles through his mother and Italy where he was born. 

The Italian Football Federation are believed to be ahead of their Nigerian counterparts in the race for the services of Alessandro Marcandalli, whose dad is Italian.

When it comes to recruiting dual-national players, the Nigeria Football Federation, especially under former president Amaju Pinnick, have received praise for the roles they played. 

Players like Maduka Okoye, William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Ademola Lookman, who were named in the Super Eagles squad for the October internationals, are Nigerians developed abroad, which required some level of recruiting from the Nigerian Federation.

In an interview with the Italian press three months ago, Alessandro Marcandalli insisted that he has not yet decided on the national team to represent despite having caps for Italy's U20 national team.  

“I haven't thought about it yet, I have time to do it and when the time comes, if there is a call-up, then I will make a choice,” he told 'Il Secolo XIX, via atalantini.online.

"I was last in Nigeria when I was 10 years old but I would like to go back soon. It is a land rich in history and culture, my mother's land.”

Alessandro Marcandalli is a player Nigeria must recruit for the future as Super Eagles central defenders Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi and Kevin Akpoguma are not getting any younger in football terms. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: genoacfc.it

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