Leading scorer in Dutch league Cyriel Dessers hopeful of playing for Super Eagles next month

IN-Form Heracles striker Cyriel Dessers has once again signified his interest in featuring for Nigeria when the Super Eagles take on Sierra Leone in an African Cup of Nations qualifier next month saying it would be a dream come true.

On March 27, the Super Eagles will lock horns with the Leone Stars in Asaba and then face them again four days later in the return leg in Sierra Leone. Dessers, who has been sensational this season for his club in the Dutch Eredivisie, scoring a total of 14 goals, is the leading goalscorer in Holland.

Dessers, 25, born to a Belgian father and Nigerian mother, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles, given that he is yet to feature for either Holland or Belgium, who he is also qualified to play for. Looking forward to a call-up, the striker stated that it would be incredibly amazing to play for Nigeria.

He confirmed there has been contact with the Nigerian Football Federation, adding that he is hoping to fulfil one of his targets of featuring for the Eagles. Dessers, who has not been invited to the Eagles camp before, is considered perfect competition for targetman Victor Osimhen, who is also having a fine season with Lille in France.

“There’s been communication but I’ve got to keep playing as well as I can for Heracles and hopefully that will happen soon. I know it’s a strong ambition of mine but sometimes you need to stay focused and not get distracted as a professional footballer.

“Everyone in the family is hoping and to be involved with Nigeria would be incredibly amazing for my career but I’ve got to keep proving myself first. To get a chance to stand at the door is a step forward as you start every day hoping for success at club level and if you keep working hard, hopefully, you make some life goals come true,” Dessers added.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are leading Group L with six points after victory against the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in their first two games. If the Eagles win both matches against Sierra Leone, they will more or less be home and dry with regards to qualifying for Cameroon 2021.