This Is The Reason Why Bayern Star, David Alaba Rejects Playing for Nigeria
Bayern Munich and Austria left-back, David Alaba has explained the real reasons for rejecting the offer to be part of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles.
According to The Nation, Alaba said he was asked to pay a bribe by Golden Eaglets coaches before he could feature for the country at the 2007 FIFA U17 World Cup during the period late Yemi Tella was in charge of the Eaglets.
Alaba who said his mother frowned at the idea further described the Nigeria U-17 coaches as jokers, insisting he will not respond to their greetings if he is being approached by them.
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He said he trained with the Nigeria U17 team along with the likes of Lukman Haruna, Macauley Chrisantus and Rabiu Ibrahim ahead of the tournament in South Korea and impressed during the training camp.
Alaba was reportedly born in Vienna to a Filipino mother and Nigerian father. He had been eligible to represent the Super Eagles until he became cap-tied to his country of birth, Austria where he has emerged as the Footballer of the Year for a record of six times.
Having earned 68 caps for the country, scoring 13 goals, Alaba represented the country at the 2016 European Championship.
The late Tella Golden Eaglet team won the FIFA U-17 World Cup on the 9th of September 2007 which was the third time Nigeria had that title after previous wins in 1985 in China and 1993 in Japan.
Samson Oyedeyi