The 2023/24 season of the Scottish Premiership has begun and it features a few players from the Super Eagles.
The league that helped the likes of Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey gain prominence features some of football's oldest derbies and rivalries, notably the Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers.
Matchday 1 is done and the Super Eagles players who play their trade in the league have gotten a feel of what the new season will be like.
As we look forward to matchday 2, here are some Super Eagles players you should watch out for in the league.
Leon Balogun
Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun is back in Scotland with Rangers one year after leaving the Glasgow-based club.
His last stint with the club was between 2020 and 2022. In that time, he helped them depose their Old Firm derby rivals Celtic to capture the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.
He was also in the team that went all the way to the final of the UEFA Europa League in the 2021/22 season. They lost to German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in that game.
Coming home 🏠 @RangersFC pic.twitter.com/XM7fZoTpbh
— Leon Aderemi Balogun (@LeonBalogun) July 12, 2023
Balogun, who was born in Berlin, Germany and has represented the Nigeria national football team since 2014, rejoined the Gers from Queens Park Rangers in England.
He will be hoping to regain prominence at Ibrox with hopes of wooing José Peseiro ahead of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers fixtures against Sao Tome and Principe, and the eventual tournament in 2024.
Cyriel Dessers
Belgian-born Cyriel Dessers is only 28 years old but he has played for nine football clubs in his career.
He has done enough to earn his stripes at every club but internal issues contributed to him switching sides every year. He has only spent more than one year in two of the clubs he has played for to date and will be hoping that things will be different at Rangers this season.
First days in blue💙 pic.twitter.com/f9JUTFZfW7
— Cyriel Dessers (@CyrielDessers) July 10, 2023
He is yet to make his debut in the Scottish Premiership for the Glasgow-based club but the Super Eagles striker will get his chance to make a case for his inclusion in Peseiro's future squads as AFCON 2023 draws near.
Players eligible for Super Eagles in the Scottish Premiership
Dessers and Balogun are the only names that have put on a Super Eagles jersey in an official match but the Scottish Premiership is home to a number of players of Nigerian descent.
Young midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh, an English-born player, has already represented the U-20 Nigeria national football team. He is teammates with Dessers and Balogun at Rangers and will no doubt be seeking tips on how to get his first Super Eagles cap.
On the other side of the Old Firm derby is Bosun Lawal. The Irish-born 20-year-old defensive midfielder has represented the Republic of Ireland at every youth level from U-15 to U-21.
Congratulations to young Celtic defender Bosun Lawal, who makes his competitive first team debut against Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup
Well deserved reward after his time with the Celtic B side 👏 pic.twitter.com/Fh9BJaPlCI
— Lewis Laird (@LewisLaird01) January 21, 2023
He may be looking to tow the path of Michael Obafemi, Adam Idah, Gavin Bazunu, Andrew Omobamidele and the Lagos-born Chiedozie Ogbene in representing the Ireland national team, but he will no doubt be on the watchlist of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Other players of Nigerian descent in the Scottish Premiership are Richard Taylor (St Mirren), Jonathan Obika (Motherwell) and Toyosi Olusanya (St Mirren).
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
