By Jacob Ajom

Ex-Super Eagles B defender, Stephen Eze, said he will always cherish his time in the men’s senior national team after featuring for the home-based side and also making the 2018 World Cup provisional squad.

Eze who got 13 caps in the colours of Nigeria now plies his trade for Indian Super League side Jamshedpur.

The former Sunshine Stars of Akure defender recalled his time in the NPFL and the Super Eagles B with nostalgia. EZE was named in the 23-man team which played in the 2016 CHAN tournament led by coach Sunday Oliseh. He featured in all the group games, but the team was eliminated in the first round.

The influential defender was also in the team that campaigned in the 2018 tournament when Nigeria finished second behind Morocco.

His performances both for club and in the CHAN Eagles led to an invitation to the full Nigeria team under coach Genort Rohr for the 2018 FIFA World Cup which held in Russia.

He was named in the preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup but could not make the final cut.

Despite not making the final 23-man list for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Eze described his experience in camp as “unforgettable” and as an indication that he was doing something right in his career.

“I will say it is a moment every football player will cherish. To represent this country, I was happy and thankful to God and being in camp with some big players I used to watch on TV was special.”

He added, “Nigeria is full of too many talented players; if you have the opportunity to wear that jersey just know you are doing something right.”

He expressed confidence in the set up and current squad of the Super Eagles but insisted that they must be committed to the Nigerian project.

“The 2026 World Cup ticket is a must and I know that with dedication and common sense of purpose we can achieve it,” he said