Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha has admitted he regrets turning down the chance to represent the Nigeria national football team during his playing career.
Speaking on the In The Mixer podcast on Sky Sports, the ex-defender revealed that he waited for a senior call-up from England, but it never came.
Onuoha, who captained England’s U-21 side, said he had multiple opportunities to switch allegiance to Nigeria but chose to stay hopeful for an England senior debut.
“Looking back, I regret not playing international football,” he admitted.
At the time, he said his focus was fully on club football at Manchester City, especially as competition for places increased under then-manager Roberto Mancini.
He also explained that concerns about missing club games during the Africa Cup of Nations influenced his decision.
However, that England senior call-up never arrived, leaving him without a single international cap in his career.
Onuoha, who also played for Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers, retired in 2020 after a 16-year professional career.
He now says the decision still stays with him.
“I was in that bracket of players waiting for England… but it never happened,” he reflected.
