In his short career, Joshua Zirkzee has already achieved remarkable success, winning the Bundesliga, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the DFB Pokal, and the DFL Super Cup twice.
Bologna striker Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee has revealed the sole condition that would lead him to choose to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Zirkzee, 22, rose to prominence in the German Bundesliga during the 2019/2020 season with Bayern Munich, where he clinched the treble under the guidance of Hansi Flick.
Following his time at Bayern, he was loaned out to Parma and Anderlecht before making a permanent move to Bologna in the summer of 2022.
His impressive form this season has sparked discussions about a potential call-up to Ronald Koeman’s squad for the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, following his stellar performances for Bologna. He has netted nine goals and provided four assists so far.
Born on May 22, 2001, Zirkzee has a Nigerian mother and a Dutch father. Although he has represented the Netherlands from the U-15 level to the U-21 level, he is yet to make an appearance for the senior team.
While expressing his desire to play for the Dutch national team, Zirkzee acknowledged that it would be a dream come true to participate in the Euro 2024 tournament with Ronald Koeman’s men in Germany, where he made a name for himself before moving abroad.
He stated, ‘My dream has always been to represent the Dutch national team. However, the European Championships are not necessarily a decisive factor. If that opportunity doesn’t materialize, then I’ll explore other options. I would be grateful if it did happen, and if not, I’ll have to ensure that they consider me. You always hope to be there one day,’ as revealed by Algemeen Dagblad.
Although a change of nationality is not out of the question for Zirkzee, he acknowledged the difficulty of such a decision, considering Nigeria’s formidable talent pool, which includes strikers like Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface.
He added, ‘It’s not an easy decision to make. If the Netherlands doesn’t come calling, then Nigeria is an option. Are they showing interest? Perhaps. Nigeria is not a country you simply choose because you cannot play for your homeland. The competition for attackers there is just as fierce as in the Dutch team. Nigeria boasts talents like Boniface from Leverkusen and Osimhen from Napoli, among many others,’ the 22-year-old concluded.
Bologna currently sit in 4th place in the Italian Serie A table, two points ahead of Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta in 5th place, as they aim for a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
