Maduka Okoye has revealed that his decision to represent the Super Eagles was never in doubt, insisting his heart had always been with Nigeria despite having multiple international options.
Speaking in an interview with Sporty TV, the Udinese goalkeeper reflected on his background and early career, explaining that his connection to Nigeria played a decisive role in shaping his international future.
Born in Düsseldorf to a Nigerian father and a German-French mother, Okoye was eligible to play for Germany and France, but he admitted that representing Nigeria always felt natural to him.
“I keep a lot of Nigeria inside of me, and I’m very proud of it,” he said, underlining the personal and cultural ties that influenced his choice.
Okoye developed through the German football system, featuring for clubs like Fortuna Düsseldorf, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen, before gaining wider recognition during his time at Sparta Rotterdam. Despite his progression in Europe, his ambition to wear Nigeria’s colours never changed.
That ambition became reality in October 2019 when he made his debut for Nigeria in a friendly against the Brazil national football team, coming on as a substitute for Francis Uzoho.
After a challenging spell at Watford FC, Maduka Okoye has since rebuilt his career in Italy, becoming a key figure for Udinese and regaining confidence at club level.
Looking back on his international allegiance, the 26-year-old made it clear there was never any hesitation about where he belonged.
“I always knew I wanted to play for Nigeria,” he said, reaffirming his long-standing commitment to the national team.
Now firmly established in the Super Eagles setup, Okoye continues to represent Nigeria with pride, driven by a deep sense of identity rather than convenience.
