Former Gateshead duo earn shock senior international call-ups - and they could face each other
Two former Gateshead strikers have earned maiden call-ups to the senior Nigeria and Jamaica squads.
Former Gateshead striker Owen Oseni has been handed a shock call-up to the Nigeria squad - and he could face another former Heed favourite making his own senior international bow over the coming weeks.
Oseni joined the Tynesiders during the summer of 2024 following his departure from Championship club Derby County and went on to score 12 goals in just 24 National League games during the first half of his maiden season at the International Stadium. His form attracted interest from several EFL clubs but it was Scottish side St Mirren that secured his signature in January last year before selling him on to Plymouth Argyle last summer.
Oseni scored ten goals and provided five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Pilgrims last season and his form has earned him a first call-up to the Nigeria squad that will face some challenging fixtures over the next month. The Super Eagles will face Poland and Portugal in pre-World Cup friendlies next month after taking on Zimbabwe and either India or Jamaica in the Unity Cup over the next week. A meeting with Jamaica would mean the Argyle striker coming face-to-face with Dejaune Brown, who spent a highly successful loan spell with the Heed in the aftermath of Oseni’s departure to St Mirren.
Speaking about his first senior call-up to the Nigeria squad, Oseni told BBC Sport: "I know I had an alright season, but to get called up for a country where there's more than 240 million people and probably 50% want to play for their country was quite a big deal for me so I was really buzzing. The coaches were watching me, obviously they picked up on the form I'd hit just towards the end of the season.
“I'd love to represent any country on a national level. It's massive for me and my career and Nigeria, the Super Eagles, when they came knocking, it was a decision that I couldn't turn down. I didn't think there was a possibility that that could happen. All I know is to just work hard and many doors could open, but I definitely didn't think that I would be one of them."