Strasbourg forward Emanuel Emegha has revealed the reasons behind his decision to commit his international future to the Netherlands rather than Nigeria or Togo.
Emegha, 22, made his debut for the Netherlands on Thursday, coming on in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Poland in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The future Chelsea striker was born in Netherlands to a Togolese father and a Nigerian mother, making him previously eligible to play for Togo and Nigeria.
He has previously played at the youth level for the Dutch side and has now become tied to the national team after his debut.
“The Netherlands is simply my country”, Emegha said after the match.
“I’m a proud Dutchman and always will be. Even if I weren’t called up, I would still be Dutch.”
The 22-year-old was called up to the squad for the November World Cup qualifiers as a late replacement for Wout Werghost, who pulled out of the squad with injury.
He came on in the 89th minute for goalscorer Memphis Depay, but could not help the Oranje to a winner, although they are on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
“I’m going to work towards the World Cup all season. I’ll do anything for that”, he added.
“Score more goals, provide more assists, be extremely fit. I’ve had a lot of injuries this season, I want to be in top shape.”
Jakub Kaminski opened the scoring for Poland in the first half, receiving a pass from Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and slotting past Bart Verbruggen.
Memphis Depay pulled one back minutes into the second half from a rebound after a header from Donyell Malen was initially saved.
The Dutch are top of Group G with 17 points and could seal their spot at next year’s tournament in their final group game against Lithuania on Monday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
