Six weeks ago, William Osula came off the bench in the 85th minute against Manchester United at St James’ Park, and five minutes later, he buried a winner that won him the Premier League Goal of the Month award and put his name in front of every scout in Europe.
The NFF was apparently watching, too.
According to Danish football journalist Farzam Abolhosseini, the Nigeria Football Federation has made contact with William Osula through sources close to the player, expressing their desire for the Newcastle United striker to represent Nigeria instead of Denmark. The news broke on April 23, 2026, and Nigerian football fans have been talking about little else since. 
Who Is William Osula?
If you have not been following Newcastle closely this season, here is what you need to know. Osula was born in Copenhagen to a Nigerian-French father and a Danish mother, making him eligible to represent Denmark, Nigeria, France, and England at the senior level.
He joined Newcastle United from Sheffield United for a reported £15 million in August 2024 and has made 43 appearances across all competitions for the club, scoring six goals and registering three assists. He is 22 years old and has been getting better with almost every game.
In his last four Premier League appearances alone, he scored three goals, including that match-winner against Manchester United and a goal against Bournemouth. The form is real, and it is recent.
But what makes this story interesting beyond football is the cultural side of it. Osula refers to himself as a “Naija boy”, speaks a bit of Pidgin English, and has been seen preparing Nigerian meals, including poundo flour and Ogbono soup, even inviting teammates to join. This is not a player with a vague connection to Nigeria on paper. The roots run deep, and he has never hidden it.
Why the Timing Works in Nigeria’s Favour
Denmark failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to the Czech Republic in the playoff final, which removes one of the biggest reasons a player might stay committed to a nation: the chance to play at a World Cup.
Despite being called up to the Denmark senior squad in March for those World Cup qualifiers, Osula did not make a single appearance, meaning under FIFA regulations, he remains fully eligible to switch and represent Nigeria at the senior level.
Both nations missed the World Cup. Both nations need a rebuild. But Nigeria is the one actively coming for him, and that matters.
What He Would Add to the Super Eagles
Nigeria’s attacking pool is already deep; Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Paul Onuachu, Tolu Arokodare, Cyriel Dessers, and others are all options for Eric Chelle. Breaking into the starting lineup immediately would be a tough ask.
But that is not really the point. In four years, the majority of Nigeria’s current attackers will be on the wrong side of thirty. Osula, at 26 during the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, would be entering the peak years of his career, and securing him now is about building something sustainable, not just filling a gap today.
He is not a like-for-like replacement for Osimhen, either. He is a different kind of forward: quick, physical, and capable of finishing from range and in tight spaces, which gives Nigeria an attacking option they do not currently have.
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Where Things Stand
Osula is said to strongly identify with his Nigerian roots but has yet to make a final decision on his international future, leaving both Nigeria and Denmark still in the picture.
Denmark coach Brian Riemer has publicly praised Osula’s qualities, describing him as having exceptional top-level skills and an “insanely good” pressing game, which tells you Denmark is not going to let this one go quietly.
The NFF has been down this road before and lost. Earlier this year, Denmark included both Osula and Philip Billing, another player with Nigerian roots, in their squad, which felt like a deliberate move to close the door. But Osula’s door is still open. He is uncapped at the senior level, he is in the best form of his career, and a federation that wants him badly enough has come knocking.
The next few weeks could decide which shirt he pulls on for the rest of his international career, and Nigerian fans will not be looking away until they get an answer.
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