Nathan Tella’s first Super Eagles interview, eyes debut vs Lesotho

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The newest member of the Super Eagles squad, Nathan Tella is poised to make his mark in the upcoming fixtures after earning his first call-up to the national team. 

Tella’s recognition comes on the back of standout performances, first with Burnley FC and now with Bayer Leverkusen.

The young striker, who has been included in the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity to train with Nigeria’s talented football squad. 

Tella, instrumental in Burnley FC’s promotion to the English Premier League before making his move to Bayer Leverkusen, has quickly adapted to the German Bundesliga, notably scoring his maiden league goal in six appearances under the management of Xabi Alonso.

Reflecting on his initial training session with the national team, Tella lauded the welcoming environment and the chance to share the pitch with esteemed football stars. 

Pre game thoughts from @nathantella11 , @onyedika15 And @alexanderiwobi #soarsupereagles #letsdoitagain #fifa2026worldcupqualifiers pic.twitter.com/suB7u0E491

— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) November 15, 2023

He remarked, “It [my first training session] was good; we have a very talented team, very good players, and it’s nice to be a part of them. They’ve welcomed me well, and now I am looking forward to the upcoming games.”

Tella underscored his eagerness to challenge himself by competing against and alongside top-notch players at both the club and international levels. 

He expressed, “To play with the best player in the country, I always want to push myself and challenge myself to play among the best and be among the best. I’ve got the opportunity to do that at the club level, and now I can do it at the international level. So it’s a pick-up opportunity for me.”

Addressing expectations from Nigerian fans in the forthcoming matches, Tella described himself as a direct player who excels in making runs from behind, thrives in one-on-one situations, demonstrates effective dribbling, and contributes significantly in both scoring and assisting. 

He stated, “[They should expect] someone who is direct, makes a lot of runs from behind, likes to get into one-on-one situations, dribbles, and also contributes in scoring and assisting my team.”

As the Super Eagles prepare to face Lesotho at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Tella is determined to build on his positive run, drawing inspiration from his recent performances against Union Berlin.