Alabama FC is excited to announce the International call up for Patrick “DIBA” Nwegbo.
Diba, a current Alabama F.C. 02 ECNL player, has been called up to the Nigerian U-17 national team for its training camp ahead of the U-17 African Cup of Nations opener against Tanzania in April.
Coach Manu Garba has been keeping a close eye on Patrick and has given him his chance to earn a roster spot.
Patrick said “It’s such an honor to get an opportunity like this. I am so grateful to Alabama F.C. and my coaches for putting such faith in me and guiding me. The ECNL has pushed me to be better and helped prepare me for this next step. A chance like this hardly comes to fruition, so I am determined to make my teammates, coaches, and family proud.”
Assistant Director of Coaching Matt Bellamy also Diba’s Coach had this to say, “Diba has the rare combination of power, speed, and elusiveness on the ball. He also has that magic in his locker that can change a game. In addition, he is a tremendous worker and possesses great character both on and off the pitch. I’m confident this young man will continue to achieve great things both in life and in his soccer career. This is a great opportunity for Diba, and I’m so proud and happy for him and his family.”
Nigeria U-17 have been zoned in Group A, alongside hosts Tanzania, Angola, and Uganda in the preliminary round of the 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.
The draw took place on Thursday evening, as the Golden Eaglets will be making their ninth appearance in the biennial football fiesta. They qualified for the tournament after emerging as champions of the WAFU-UFOA Zone B U-17 Championship. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2019 Fifa U-17 World Cup in Peru as the C.A.F. representatives.
