'I was not in touch with Nigerian culture' — Super Eagles defender reveals how Mikel, Moses helped boost his national spirit

Former Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun said that playing for the Nigerian national team helped strengthen his bond with the African country, as he did not grow up with strong ties to Nigeria. 

The 37-year-old German-born defender made his Super Eagles debut in 2014 and represented Nigeria 46 times, forming one half of the famed “Oyibo Wall” with the recently retired William Troost-Ekong.

Speaking in a recent appearance on the Footballers Unfiltered Podcast, Balogun explained that he did not have a strong connection with his Nigerian roots while growing up in January. 

“I was born in Germany, so I wasn't in touch with the Nigerian culture like the other boys who grew up in England: Alex Iwobi, Lookman, Ola Aina and Kelvin Bassey. You know you have more Nigerians in the UK than in Germany,” he explained. 

“I remember my first camp; there was big John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and a few other top guys. These were guys I used to see on PlayStation.”

He explained that the dedication from those players rubbed off on him, and the demands of the Super Eagles shirt strengthened him mentally for his club career. 

“There was always that dedication to the country; they would welcome you. It was a really nice time. But at the same time, when things didn't go well, it was tough.

“Playing for the Super Eagles prepared me for the level of expectation at Rangers because losing is not allowed. Basically, you're Nigeria, the king of Africa, and it doesn't matter whether there's Cameroon, Senegal, or Egypt. You just have to win.”