Nathan Tella, a winger for Bayer Leverkusen, acknowledged that he was unhappy not to be selected for the Super Eagles against South Africa in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Manager Jose Peseiro chose to select Moses Simon above the Arsenal academy product, who was included in the country’s tentative squad for the tournament in Ivory Coast. The three wingers on his 25-man roster are Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ahmed Musa.
A native of England, Tella pledged his future to the Super Eagles for his international career after receiving a surprising start against Zimbabwe in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in November. Tella also became cap-tied to the three-time African champions.
Tella told Bundesliga International after making his Super Eagles debut, “It was good.” I’ve always wished to represent my country in football. When I was younger, I never played international football.
It was therefore a positive experience for me to be a member of an international squad for the first time! Playing and experiencing international football was a great chance. I didn’t get called up to play in the African Cup of Nations, but it was always my dream.
“I was quite disappointed but then, at the same time, I looked at it as an opportunity to play here.”
![Nathan Tella's Regret: Unfulfilled Dream of Super Eagles AFCON Appearance 2 Nathan Tella](https://i0.wp.com/www.theathletic.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Nathan-Tella.webp?resize=1063%2C725&ssl=1)
Positively, Tella, who was only a reserve player for Bayer Leverkusen before the AFCON, saw an increase in playing time during the Ivory Coast competition.
And in four Bundesliga outings, he paid manager Xabi Alonso back with four-goal involvements (three goals, one assist).
Due to their involvement in the AFCON, the Spanish coach was unable to enlist the services of Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), and Amine Adli (Morocco). Additionally, Victor Boniface, a fourth player, was not available for selection due to an injury he suffered during Nigeria’s pre-AFCON training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“We had four guys; Victor Boniface was hurt, but with four players out, I would have had more opportunities, which I think I did.
“I could play longer and score more. Naturally, I was unhappy that Nigeria didn’t win, but I’m also really delighted for my teammate Odilon (Kossounou),” Tella continued.
After missing out on eight minutes in the team’s opening two league games following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, Tella is back to play second fiddle for Bayer Leverkusen.