Failure To Bribe Officials Cost Me 2014 World Cup –Chinedu Obasi

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Former Super Eagles striker Chinedu Obasi has revealed that he couldn’t make Nigeria’s 23-man squad to Brazil 2014 World Cup because he failed to bribe officials.

Obasi was a regular for Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga at the time, impressing with goals.

In a recent chat on Instagram Live, Obasi disclosed that his failure to part with money resulted in his omission from the final squad for the trip to Brazil.

He said: ”Two days before the list came out, I was asked to pay some money if I want to be in the team. I felt like I’ve paid my dues for the country, I shouldn’t do this. If I was a young player, maybe I would have done that, but it was a bit personal for me and I felt very heartbroken. I was playing for Schalke, I was playing in the Champions League and I was doing well.

“I was supposed to move from Hoffenheim to England and I got injured playing for Nigeria at the World Cup [in South Africa]. After that competition, nobody called me to know how I am doing. I spent a lot of money to get fit. All people talked about was the injury. They don’t care to know what I went through on a daily basis making sure I get my body in shape, to stay healthy.

“It takes a lot of dedication, money, investing in myself and my body. I went through surgery, did everything I can. Now a competition is coming up, you’re inviting me to the national team. I’ve exhausted my own money and you want me to pay, which is a slap in the face for me.

“I said I’m not comfortable doing that. They said I should know the system, and I should act like I’m a Nigerian. I said it’s not about being a Nigerian but doing the right thing.”

'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

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