Germany U-20 skipper open for Super Eagles

Germany skipper, Kevin Akpoguma, will come up against the Flying Eagles of Nigeria in today’s U20 World Cup Round of 16 clash, but he has not ruled out the possibility of featuring for Nigeria’s full international team.

Akpoguma’s father is Kelvin and hails from Benin City in Midwest Nigeria. He and his wife, Annett, are here in Christchurch, New Zealand, to cheer their 20-year-old son to glory at the U20 World Cup.

The son said he expects his father, who moved to Germany over 20 years ago, to wave the flags of both countries today during the singing of the national anthems.

But the younger Akpoguma, whose heroes are Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure, said world champions, Germany, will be his first choice, but would at the same time not shut the door on the Super Eagles.

“As long as I can play for Germany, I will leave this door open,” he told The Press.

“If I see the level is too high, maybe, I will look for the other goal (with Nigeria).”

Akpoguma has visited his father’s country twice and could still play for Nigeria at full international level should he decide to do so. But the immediate focus of the imposing central defender is today’s U20 World Cup Round of 16 clash against the Flying Eagles at Christchurch.

“It will be a special game for me because my dad is from Nigeria,” said Kevin, who has scored at this tournament thus far and will next season go on loan to German second division side, Fortuna Dusseldorf, from Hoffenheim where he has yet to make his first-team debut.

“It will be a normal game. I will be preparing myself like every game.”