Sunday Oliseh laments Nigeria’s failure to secure Michael Olise

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has voiced deep regret over Nigeria’s inability to convince talented midfielder Michael Olise to commit his international future to the West African nation, as the 24-year-old continues to flourish with France.

Speaking about the Crystal Palace graduate’s rise, Oliseh praised his technical quality while lamenting what he described as a missed opportunity for Nigerian football.

“When I see the way Olise plays, I love it. But it gets me angry that I am saying Olise should not be wearing the French national team jersey; he should be wearing the green-white-green jersey of Nigeria,” he said.

He went on to highlight the attacker’s growing influence at the highest level, suggesting he has the potential to reach the pinnacle of world football.

“He is so good and might one day contend for the Ballon d’Or. Defenders are feeling helpless against him, and now they foul him, insult him to provoke him, and he is a quiet person,” Oliseh added.

Now 24, Olise has already established himself in the French senior national team setup, earning 15 caps and scoring four goals. He is widely expected to play a key role for Les Bleus at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria, meanwhile, will not feature at the tournament, adding further weight to the long-running debate over dual-nationality players and recruitment strategies within the Super Eagles system.