Ovie Ejeheri: Danish league title pain won’t stop my Nigeria dream

FC Midtjylland goalkeeper Ovie Ejeheri has opened up on the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the Danish Superliga title, insisting the club had the quality to finish as champions despite ending the campaign with domestic cup success.

The 23-year-old, who joined Midtjylland after impressing in Denmark, admitted the league failure remains a painful memory even though the club lifted the Danish Cup with a 1-0 victory over defending champions Copenhagen at Parken Stadium.

Midtjylland entered the season chasing a fifth Superliga crown but fell short in the decisive championship play-offs as AGF emerged champions to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League.

Although the cup triumph softened the blow, Ejeheri believes the squad under Mike Tullberg possessed enough quality to claim the league title.

“The team has done very well, but I think we’re all disappointed that we didn’t win the league because, for sure, we have the best team in Denmark, so we should have won the league.

“But I think winning the Pokal Cup was a good way of ending the season.”

The former Arsenal goalkeeper pointed to the play-off phase as the turning point in Midtjylland’s title pursuit, explaining that a dip in performances coincided with an intense fixture schedule that included Europa League commitments.

“We just weren’t playing as well as we had been, so I think the play-offs in general were where we lost the league.

“We had also been playing in Europe, including the Europa League, which made it a demanding period.”

Despite the disappointment, Ejeheri acknowledged the campaign represented a historic step forward for the club. Midtjylland enjoyed one of the strongest seasons in their history, combining an extended European run with domestic silverware, achievements he believes have now raised expectations for future campaigns.

The Danish outfit will have little time to dwell on last season’s shortcomings as they prepare for another demanding campaign. Their first major challenge comes in the Europa League second qualifying round, where they face Turkish giants Besiktas in a tie that could define the early stages of their season.

Super Eagles ambition remains ultimate goal

Away from club football, Ejeheri has made no secret of where his international future lies.

Born in Greenwich, London, the goalkeeper is eligible to represent England, Nigeria and Uganda. Although he attended an England youth training camp in 2020, his focus is now firmly on earning a place with Nigeria’s senior national team.

That ambition moved a step closer earlier this year when he received an invitation to train with Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles squad during the 2026 Unity Cup in London.

The call-up came at short notice, but Ejeheri embraced the opportunity as another important milestone in his development.

“I was definitely happy, but I didn’t have much time to think about it because it was only a couple of hours before we were due to train, so I had to focus on training straight away. But it was a good step.”

The invitation has only strengthened his determination to wear Nigeria’s colours at senior level, a dream he describes as the biggest target of his career.

“Representing Nigeria would mean a lot to me. It would definitely be the biggest achievement of my career and something I’m looking forward to the most.

“Of course, there are a lot of good Nigerian goalkeepers, so it’s up to me to perform as well as I can for my club. Playing regularly is the most important thing for me. As long as I’m playing, anything can happen.”

With another European campaign on the horizon and international recognition edging closer, Ejeheri now has two clear objectives: help Midtjylland reclaim the Danish title and continue proving he deserves a place between the posts for the Super Eagles.