Uncapped defender gives ‘priority’ to Italy, snubs Nigeria

Brentford defender Michael Kayode confirms he’ll wait for a senior Italy call-up despite being eligible for the Nigeria national team: ‘I will always give priority to the Azzurri.’

U21 Italy international Kayode hopes to soon receive his first Italy call-up.

Born in Borgomanero, Italy, on July 10, 2004, the 21-year-old defender’s parents are from Nigeria, so he is still eligible to play at a senior level for either national team.

“I will always give priority to Italy: even at youth level, I grew up wearing the Azzurri shirt,” Kayode told Tuttosport.

“I hope to achieve this dream as soon as possible, but I have no doubt about which path to choose.”

Kaoyde has made ten appearances for the U21 Italy national team, making his debut with the Azzurrini in 2023.

He also scored the winning goal in the U19 European Championship Final against Portugal in 2023, helping the youth Azzurrini win the tournament for the first time.

He did talk to former Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso before the World Cup play-off this past March, but was ultimately not included in the team.

“Yes, we also had dinner with other [Italian] Premier League players,” Kayode admitted.

“I was doing well, I felt involved even without being called up for the play-offs.”

Italy U21 coach Silvio Baldini will take charge of the senior Azzurri squad for international friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, and Kayode is expected to be part of the team this time.

“For now, I’m only focused on qualifying for Europe with Brentford,” he concluded.

“We can aim to qualify for the cup until the end, so we don’t want to let our guard down. The Azzurri shirt would be an enormous achievement, unthinkable until a few years ago, but I’ll think about it in a few weeks.”

More from Kayode’s interview – Kayode confirms Juventus interest but hints at Brentford stay