My dream was to play for Nigeria in World Cup not AFCON – Marseille midfielder, Nnadi

Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi has said that his primary aspiration prior to receiving his first international call-up was to represent Nigeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States were thwarted following a penalty shootout loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoffs final in November 2025.

Nnadi’s selection in the Super Eagles’ final roster for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco came as a surprise, where he made his senior debut in a group-stage match against Uganda.

“I had dreams of playing in the World Cup, not the Afcon. It was a surprise for me. I was happy,” Nnadi stated during an interview on AySuga Channel.

He recounted the moment he received his first Super Eagles call-up, noting that it occurred during a personal phone conversation with his father.

He added, “I was on a call with my dad when the invitation came, but I wanted to be in the World Cup because I told my friends two years ago that I had to be at the 2026 World Cup.

“Participating in the Afcon was wonderful, but I aspire for more.”

Nnadi distinguished himself this summer by being the only player to start all of Nigeria’s matches against Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Poland, and Portugal, bringing his total caps to five.

The former Botev Plovdiv player was an integral part of the Flying Eagles squad that competed in the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup.