'He was calm' - Super Eagles legend Oliseh urges fans to keep an eye on Brentford loanee Fredrick

Nigeria legend Sunday Oliseh believes Benjamin Fredrick is a star in the making and has urged fans to monitor the progress of the Brentford-owned defender.

Fredrick completed the full 120 minutes in both fixtures against Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo as the Super Eagles narrowly missed out on a place in the inter-confederation playoffs for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

In Nigeria's 4–1 victory over Gabon, one of the most intriguing battles saw Fredrick go head-to-head with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, one of Africa's most decorated forwards.

The centre-back rose to the challenge, delivering a mature and assured performance that prevented the former Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona striker from making any meaningful impact.

The FCV Dender defender also impressed against the Leopards, standing firm despite sustained pressure from the Democratic Republic of Congo wingers who repeatedly targeted his flank, an area left vulnerable by Eric Chelle's diamond formation, which created gaps out wide.

Still only 20, Fredrick went the distance in Nigeria's last six World Cup qualifying matches, showcasing his versatility by performing confidently at both right-back and centre-back.

When asked to name the young Nigerian talent fans should keep an eye on, Oliseh said on his Sunday Oliseh's Global Football Insights podcast: "For me, the player that I discovered lately is Benjamin Fredrick. What I liked about him was the fact that you are talking about pressure, the boy just slipped into the team.

"One of the most difficult games, did you see the way the boy played? They piled pressure on his side, and he was still struggling, fighting, and he was calm and doing it all along.

"When I looked at him, I said God almighty, this is a talent.

"Dender is one hour 20 minutes from my house here, and I didn't know it until I saw him play."

Yet to make his senior debut for Premier League side Brentford, Fredrick is currently on loan at Belgian top-flight club Dender, where he is gaining valuable experience in senior football.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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