Fikayo Tomori: England Defender Shares Reason He Never Played for the Super Eagles
- Fisayo Tomori says he never played for Nigeria because the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) never officially contacted him
- England’s early approach at age 18 shaped the Canadian-born defender’s international decision
- The AC Milan star still hopes to secure a spot in England’s 2026 World Cup squad
Fikayo Tomori has opened up on the long-standing question of why he never represented the Super Eagles, despite his Nigerian roots and close friendships within the squad.
The 27-year-old, born in Canada to Nigerian parents, revealed that he was never formally approached by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), a detail he says shaped his entire international path.
Source: Getty Images
How England came calling for Tomori
Tomori’s early career moved quickly. After starting out with Canada’s youth team, England reached out shortly after he turned 18. The timing, he admits, played a decisive role.
"The next international break, England called me, and I knew I had to go. I thought if I said no, would I ever get a call-up again?" Tomori said during an appearance on Filthy Fellas Podcast.
With several of his Chelsea academy teammates, including Tammy Abraham, already in the England setup, the transition felt seamless.
The environment felt familiar, and the switch carried no sense of risk. In October 2019, he earned his first senior cap, and though his England career has been stop-start, he remains committed to breaking into the Three Lions squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Tomori shares reason for not choosing Nigeria
For years, Nigerians wondered why Tomori never considered the Super Eagles, especially as other England-born players of Nigerian descent like Ademola Lookman, Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, and others eventually switched allegiance.
Source: Getty Images
Tomori finally addressed the speculation plainly after revealing he was never contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“Nigeria isn’t bad, though. All my boys are there. It’s not like I wouldn’t have played there, but they never called me, so I never had a choice to make.”
Had Nigeria approached first, Tomori admitted the story might have been different:
“If it was Nigeria, I’d have gone.”
The AC Milan defender stressed that there was never a moment when he had to pick between both nations as only England made an official request.
Without a concrete offer from Nigeria, there was nothing to weigh or reconsider.
A look at Tomori’s career
While his England caps stand at five, with his last outing coming in November 2023 against Malta, Tomori’s club career remains one of Europe’s most consistent.
Now in his sixth season at AC Milan, he has amassed more than 180 appearances and is one of the club’s most trusted defenders, talkSPORT reports.
Despite being overlooked in recent England camps under Thomas Tuchel, Tomori remains optimistic about his future with the Three Lions.
His focus is clear as he plans to stay consistent for Milan and make himself impossible to ignore ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Tomori leaves Chelsea for AC Milan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that England international and on-loan Chelsea star Fikayo Tomori is set to sign a permanent deal at Italian club AC Milan where he has impressed since his arrival in January.
A five-year permanent deal was offered to the defender, which saw him end his time with Premier League club Chelsea.
Source: Legit.ng
