Winners Mark Osawe, a midfielder eligible to play for Nigeria, has helped Germany’s under-17 team reach the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The tournament final will happen on December 2nd, one day after Osawe turns 17.
Osawe has started two games so far for Germany in the tournament. He plays club football with RB Leipzig in Germany.
The skilled midfielder stepped up for the German team after teammate Forzan Assan Ouedraogo got injured before the tournament.
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In the World Cup, Germany opened with a 3-1 win over Mexico. Since then, they have beaten Australia, Colombia, the United States, Spain and now Argentina. Striker Paris Brunner scored two goals to lead Germany past Argentina in the semi-finals.
Osawe has Nigerian roots that allow him to play for the Nigeria national team. As he keeps developing as a top young player in Germany, Nigeria will likely try to recruit him.
Defender David Odogu is another Nigerian-eligible player key to Germany’s U-17 success. Other players like Jordan Torunarigha and Felix Uduokhai played for Germany as youth but later chose to play for Nigeria.
Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala also has Nigerian ancestry. Nigeria approached him, but Musiala opted to play for Germany instead. He is now a star for Germany’s senior national team.
If Osawe keeps progressing, Nigeria will probably try to add the talented midfielder to their squad as well. Osawe’s future is bright, and he will have big decisions ahead on his national team allegiance.
For now, Osawe’s excellent play has Germany into the U-17 World Cup final. He turns 17 the day before his team tries to capture the championship trophy.
