Jacob Murphy, 30, born in England and playing for Newcastle United, was called up to the Nigeria national team, but he turned down the offer.
Having previously played for England’s U21 team, the winger was eligible to represent Nigeria through his father and the Republic of Ireland through his mother if he chose.
This season, Murphy has scored 5 goals and provided 9 assists for Newcastle, catching the attention of many with his performances. Nigeria’s new head coach, Eric Chelle, has been following his form and offered him a place in the national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
However, Murphy rejected the offer as he is waiting for potential calls from either Ireland or England. The winger wants to focus more on his club career at the moment.
Newcastle United’s manager, Eddie Howe, has expressed his satisfaction with Murphy’s contributions this season. He believes Murphy has formed a good partnership with striker Alexander Isak:
“Murphy has been very, very important and probably more than people realize,” Howe said.
“Isak probably owes him the majority of his goals with his crossing ability, which has always been very strong.”