A rising star in Dutch football is receiving attention from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for his potential to boost the Super Eagles defense.
Emmanuel van de Blaak, a 22-year-old central defender coming through the youth ranks at PSV Eindhoven, was born in Lagos to a Nigerian father. His early development occurred in the Netherlands, where he holds citizenship.
After standout performances for PSV’s reserves, van de Blaak made his first-team debut this year in a UEFA Europa League match. His impressive play and versatility at right-back have accelerated his progress.
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Van de Blank attracts Nigeria’s interest
“We are monitoring the situation closely and are in touch with the player’s representatives,” said an NFF official. “Should he decide to represent Nigeria, he could provide reinforcement and depth to our defensive line.”
The Super Eagles have had success incorporating players with dual nationality backgrounds recently. Defender William Troost-Ekong, who plays club football in Italy, switched from the Dutch national system to feature for Nigeria’s senior team.
Van de Blaak’s European tutelage and Nigerian roots offer an enticing blend of technical qualities and physical tools that could benefit the Super Eagles.
With Nigeria continuing to expand its talent pool, the next generation of players epitomized by van de Blaak signifies an encouraging influx of emerging stars connected to the country by lineage.
As he continues his swift rise at PSV, van de Blaak may have a big decision ahead this year regarding his international future. The NFF will be watching closely to see if the Lagos native chooses to keep the green and white of his father’s homeland.
