Barcelona Pair Balogun And Ekpolo Snubbed By Nigeria Under-20s Coaches

Nigeria Under-20s handlers have no intention of handing call-ups to Barcelona pair Boluwatife Balogun and Elohor Godswill Ekpolo ahead of this summer's Fifa Under 20 World Cup in New Zealand.


Balogun and Ekpolo have made themselves available for selection, despite being eligible to represent France and Spain respectively.

But assistant coach of the Flying Eagles, Nduka Ugbade, has strongly hinted that the La Masia Academy students will not be considered ahead of other players that the coaches have been working with for the past year.

"The bottom line is that every other person is allowed to come for trials apart from the players we have on ground," Nduka Ugbade said to SL10.ng.

"But we have to submit a 35-man list to Fifa, and we have only two days to do that. If there is a prospect of making changes to the list, they can come for trials.

"Nobody can walk into the team because you are playing for Barcelona or Manchester City.

"With the recent development, it's going to be difficult. We have 50 - 60 days to the World Cup."

Boluwatife Balogun turns out for Juvenil A squad of Barcelona while Godswill Ekpolo represents The Blaugrana's B team.