England-born defender Gabriel Osho has expressed his deep commitment and readiness to represent Nigeria as he gears up for what could be a significant milestone in his career—his debut for the Super Eagles.

The Nigerian national team is set to compete against the Benin Republic and Rwanda in the decisive phase of the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Gabriel Osho, who currently plays for Auxerre, has been included in a squad of 23 players called up for these crucial matches.

Osho who is currently 26-year-old was among the first players to arrive at the national team camp, a move that underscores his enthusiasm and preparedness to don the Nigerian jersey for the first time.

His journey to this point has not been without its challenges; he was initially selected to join the Eagles earlier this year under the guidance of former coach Finidi George.

Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from that squad due to injury, which prevented him from making his international debut at that time.

Now that he is on the verge of making his first appearance for Nigeria, Osho finds himself amidst stiff competition for a place in the starting lineup.

He is up against established players such as Calvin Bassey and William Troost-Ekong, both of whom have significant experience with the national team, as well as fellow newcomer Victor Collins, whose rising profile adds to the competition.

Reflecting on his journey, Osho said, “I have been invited before, but I couldn’t come because of injury and one or two other circumstances. However, when this opportunity arose, everything aligned perfectly, and I’m incredibly grateful to God that the moment has finally come for me to join the team.”

He continued: “I will put in my utmost effort, as that is what the fans expect from every single player here. All of us have proven our worth to be called up, but it’ll come down to our work ethic. I want to work hard and give everything I can for this shirt.”

Osho pointed out the wealth of talent within the Nigerian squad, saying, “When you look at the forwards, the names of the players here are impressive, and there are many other exceptional talents who are not in the squad this time. This country is overflowing with skilled players, so securing a spot on the national team is fiercely competitive, making it a tremendous honour for me to be here.”

The Super Eagles are scheduled to play their first match against the Benin Republic at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. They will then face Rwanda in their last qualifying fixture just four days later at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

Currently, the Nigerian team tops Group D with 10 points. A single point from either of these two remaining matches will guarantee them a place in the AFCON tournament set to take place in Morocco next year.