Nigerian Star At Sevilla Eager For Super Eagles Call-Up

Seven-time UEFA Europa League winners, Sevilla, currently house three Nigerian attackers, two of whom are Super Eagles players, according to Soccernet.ng.

While Kelechi Iheanacho is popularly known as the senior man in the Nigerian National team, Chidera Ejuke is less so because he’s been in and out of the team, barely stringing a succession of performances.

However, Sevilla’s newest Nigerian recruit, Akor Jerome Adams, has only played for the National team at U-20 level, and recently revealed it’ll be a dream come true to don the green and white colours of the Super Eagles on the World stage.

Adams has had several past Super Eagles players advise him at crucial points of his life, and looks forward to setting the pace for others when the opportunity comes.

“I think there’s rarely a Nigerian kid who plays football that does not dream of wearing the shirt. Where I come from, playing in the national team, there is no bigger honour than that,” Adams said on the SLUM2STARDOM podcast.

“I am honoured to play for Sevilla with all my heart, but representing your country that your parents are from, and that you are from, that you have roots and connections and friends, is like an army man taking up everything to go for peacekeeping for the country.

“It’s the same as representing Nigeria, there is no greater honour for me.”

Quizzed about his experience in the Norwegian league before he took the big leap to the French top-flight with Montpellier, the ex-Lillestrom forward said;

“Norway was very important in my story because I wasn’t fully developed as an adult. I need the experience I could get from Norway, and I think it’s the best platform.

“I didn’t go to the far North, I was close to the West, and the transition was good. I kept in good contact with my family even though I was away. I also tried to occupy myself so I wouldn’t be idle, so it was difficult but good.

“Lillestrom was the springboard to achieving everything I wanted to do. They treat us well as Africans, and I’m not sure there’s a club in Norway that has nurtured African talents like they have.

“They train with grass and a lot of strikers that have gone there have done really well, like Ujah [Anthony], who’s a mentor to me. I messaged him when the offer came, and he told me to go ahead with it,” Adams continued.

Akor Adams at his first Sevilla press conference after joining from Ligue 1 side, Montpellier. [Photo Credit/ X].
On to Montpellier, where he became more recognised in Europe, Adams credited former Super Eagles forward – John Utaka, for taking him under his wings.

“He’s one of my mum’s favourite Super Eagles players, she likes him a lot, and when I got the call from Montpellier, his speaking to me played a part in my decision

“The club is good, they’re all good people, I have nothing bad to say about them. As you can see, from my first six or seven months, they welcomed us very well. John was really good.

“A brace in my debut felt like I’ve announced myself in Europe, not like Norway isn’t Europe, but I’ve always wanted to play in Central Europe, and the feeling after the two goals was like now, they know my name,” the Sevilla forward concluded.

Adams is now poised for his first full season at Sevilla after injuries riddled him from a perfect start in Spain.