England international Tammy Abraham has expressed his desire to visit Nigeria again, citing his strong connection to the country through his upbringing, Soccernet.ng reports.
Born in Camberwell, London, to Nigerian parents, Abraham was raised in a Nigerian cultural environment and has fond memories of his time in the West African country.
Although Abraham opted to represent the England national team at the senior level, making his competitive debut in 2020 against the Czech Republic, he continues to cherish his Nigerian roots.
In a recent interview as per Milan TV, the former Chelsea striker shared his thoughts on his connection to Nigeria, saying,
“I have a few Nigerian friends. I grew up in an area with many Nigerians. I was raised with that culture, I’ve been to Nigeria, and I hope to go back soon. My mom often cooks Nigerian dishes.”
Tammy Abraham spoke to @MilanTV: On his Nigerian roots: "I have a few Nigerian friends. I grew up in an area with many Nigerians. I was raised with that culture, I’ve been to Nigeria, and I hope to go back soon. My mom often cooks Nigerian dishes." pic.twitter.com/tV1WQXwyDR
— Milan Posts (@MilanPosts) September 4, 2024Abraham’s ties to Nigeria have long been a topic of discussion.
In 2017, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made efforts to convince him to play for the Super Eagles.
The then-NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, revealed that he had “a positive meeting” with the forward as part of efforts to persuade him to switch allegiance from England to Nigeria.
However, Abraham, who had already played for England’s youth teams, ultimately chose to commit his international future to the Three Lions.
The 27-year-old forward has since made 11 appearances for the Three Lions, scoring three goals.
However, he was not included in England’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 European Championships in Germany where the team won a silver medal.
Despite Abraham deciding not to play for Nigeria, the Super Eagles have not been short of quality attackers, with Victor Boniface, Victor Osimhen, and Ademola Lookman all making waves for club and country.
Both Osimhen and Lookman were heavily involved as Nigeria finished as runner-up at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.