Zulte Waregem midfielder, Tochukwu Nnadi, talks about his 2023 U-20 World Cup experience, European journey and his dreams, in this interview with JOHNNY EDWARD
How did you start football?Â
Like every young footballer from Nigeria I started playing on the streets before I joined up with Campos Football Academy in Owerri, Imo State. I’ve always known I had the talent and joining Campos helped me realise my dreams because everyone who came to watch us train always reserved plaudits for me. After some years at the academy, I moved to another academy in Abu Dubai, Medenat Academy, and it was from there some scouts saw me and took me to Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv, where I signed my first professional contract at the club in 2021. I was in Bulgaria for two years before I joined Zulte Waregem in Belgium.
Why did you join Zulte Waregem, a second division club in Belgium?
I had other offers to play topflight football in Belgium, Russia and France during the January transfer as well, but I preferred Zulte Waregem because of their desire to sign me. Zulte is a club I’m confident I will develop into the kind of player I want to become in no distant future.
How easy or difficult has it been settling in Europe?
It was very tough, from the food to the weather and language. I struggled to cope with all of these, so, I had to stay healthy eating some unfamiliar meals, which wasn’t good for me as a footballer. But I thank God I adapted because I could not afford to go back home. During my time in Dubai, I had to pay more to get Nigerian foods to eat but the weather was quite good in Bulgaria because I had adjusted well.
You were part of the Flying Eagles squad to the last U-20 World Cup in Argentina. What was the experience like playing for Nigeria at that level?
It was a great experience for me because being selected among several players to represent Nigeria at that level was massive for me and I’m grateful to God for that. I hope to build on that by going on to play for Nigeria at the senior level, as well as playing at the senior World Cup.
Nobody gave the Flying Eagles a chance against the hosts Argentina but they won 2-0. What was the atmosphere like in the dressing room after the win?
We were so joyous in the dressing room because the win restored our confidence after we lost to Brazil. It gave us so much belief that we could go all the way and win the tournament.
You also played a major role as the team outclassed Italy in the group stage. How did you feel?
Our plans worked out well. We stifled them and made them pay on the counterattack. It was one of my best games at the tournament.
Were the Argentine fans hostile to the Nigerian team during and after the game?
Of course they chanted songs in Spanish but we remained focused on our game and after the win we celebrated. It’s what you hear that you react to, so, we didn’t care about their offensive chants.
The team crashed out of the tournament losing by a lone goal in the quarter-finals to South Korea. How did you feel that night?
I was disappointed because as a team, we really didn’t improve on our performance in the round of 16 against the Koreans. We were not good enough in the final third, which cost us the game in extra time. We were just unlucky not to have won that game.
Don’t you think the Koreans were underrated by the Flying Eagles?
We did not underrate the Koreans in any form. They were unbeaten before the quarter-finals. We studied them well in our buildup to the game and knew how and where to take advantage of them but we did not take the chances we created, which like I said earlier, cost us the game.
Would you say it was down to your performance at the 2023 U-20 World Cup that earned you the move to Zulte?
I guess it was part of it but the club had been monitoring me for a while before the deal was finally completed. I’m enjoying my time here and I hope to help Zulte gain promotion to the first division. Currently, Zulte are fifth in the table, which is the last promotion playoffs spot. I hope we can pull through at the end of the season.
How did you feel when you watched the Super Eagles lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast?
I felt very sad because we had a great chance to win it after taking the lead. The Eagles were just unlucky to lose the final. The players gave their best too. It’s not always easy when you lose finals, particularly one like the AFCON final.
Who was your best player at the AFCON?
Frank Onyeka was the best player because he helped the team a lot in the games we played. Everybody can see he runs a lot and he covered lot of spaces on the pitch. He is also calm with the ball. He plays in England, which is something good because players like that add more value to the team. So, I will rate him as the best midfielder. He enjoys tackling a lot and he’s a leader. Leadership is one of the traits I can pick from him to add to my game.
Do you think you have what it takes to play for the Eagles?
Of course I do but at the moment there is so much talent in the position I play and it will be difficult to get into the team, but all I need is a chance. I have full respect for the senior guys and what they have achieved. But I also have respect for how much ability I have got. In the last two or three years, I have played half my games as a central midfielder and I fully believe that I can offer the team a lot.
What are the best and worst moments of your young career so far?
The best moments in my career so far has to be when I signed my first professional contact and when I made my debut for Nigeria at the U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
Who are your football role models?
My role models are Michael Carrick and Toni Kroos, they are great passers of the ball and offer their teams so much defensively and offensively. I watch their clips most times to learn some tricks.