At the heart of Nigeria’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ghana in the semi-final of the Unity Cup 2025 at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium was Cyriel Dessers, whose composed finish proved to be the difference in a pulsating ‘Jollof Derby’. The result not only sent the Super Eagles into the final but also reaffirmed Dessers’ growing importance in a squad packed with attacking talent.
Speaking exclusively to Victor Modo for Modzero Sport, Dessers expressed elation at being back in the national setup, reflecting on the victory, his form, and his dreams of finally making an official competitive debut in front of Nigerian fans.
“Yeah, always feels good to be back here. It’s been a while, but always happy to see the boys, see the staff, and especially yesterday at the game was very special to have the Nigerian atmosphere here in Europe.”
The 29-year-old striker, who enjoyed a stellar season in Europe, addressed the ever-growing depth in Nigeria’s attacking ranks, highlighting his respect for emerging talents and his own steady development:
“Yeah, I think so. If I talk about the competition, I don’t like the word competition because I think we all have the same goal here at the national team. You see some extra strikers popped up again, like if you see Tolo had an amazing season in Genk in Belgium. So there’s always new talents coming up. For me personally, I think I’ve had a good season. I’m very happy with that. I think I got better this season, stronger, more experienced, more calm in the head. So I hope I can show that and bring that to the national team as well.”
Yet, despite consistently performing when called upon, Dessers has often been overlooked when it truly matters. When asked how it feels to miss out on major tournament selections despite his efforts, he didn’t shy away from the emotional truth.
“It hurts sometimes. It feels disappointing. I’ve been in and around the squad for five years now, and I haven’t played an official game yet, only friendly games, so I must say that hurts. On the other hand, there’s always a lot of different factors. Of course, you have a few strikers, like, for example, Victor Osimhen, who is a clear number one.
It always depends on form, on choices, on personal opinion. But I would say the two Africans I missed out really hurt because I felt that at that time, that moment with my form, I had a place in the squad. But hey, it’s a big country. There is a lot of competition. We have a lot of good strikers.
Who am I? I’m not making the choices. The only thing I can do is perform, score my goals at my club and show that I’m ready. And when called upon, like yesterday for example, show what I can do for the team, how I can help the team with goals, but also with hard work and dedication.”
Dessers’ goals against Ghana—both in March 2024 and now again in this semi-final—have made him something of a nemesis for the Black Stars, a point he acknowledged with a smile:
“Right now you can see it’s one of my favourite opponents, but let’s hope we can keep it like this in the future. Like I say, when I get the chance, I just try to perform, try to help the team. If it’s against Ghana or against Jamaica or against the next opponent, I just want to be ready, I want to be there to help the team.”
One of the standout aspects of the current Unity Cup squad is the significant inclusion of NPFL (home-based) players, something Dessers had high praise for:
“I think the quality is very good. They surprised me. They’re very good players. Technically, they’re fast, they’re strong. They got the grit, the dedication. So I think for sure they are very good players. I think the top players in the Nigerian league have a very good level, like you can see. Obviously, it’s also like for them, it’s new being here in the squad, adapting a little bit to international football because it’s different than only African football, but I think they got it in them to make this step and also to be involved over the next games as well.”
Reflecting on his personal journey, Dessers offered inspiration to aspiring players:
“What helped me to get to this point? I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career, but one thing is I love the game. I love training. I love playing games. I love working hard to get to my goals. And the other one is never give up. I want to score. It’s never give up, even if there’s people that doubt you, that try to pull you down, even if it’s… a coach, a manager, press, fans, just keep going and at the end you will get your rewards.”
Finally, with September qualifiers looming and a potential home debut in sight, Dessers had a heartfelt message for Nigerian supporters:
“First of all, I want to thank the Nigerian fans that were here at the game in London. The atmosphere was unbelievable. I really enjoyed it. It was a little bit of African vibes in Europe, in London here. I’m hoping to get a call-up. I will do everything to get a call-up in September and meet the Nigerian fans in Nigeria, finally play there in a full stadium, official game, and make one of my dreams come true.”
As the Super Eagles eye Unity Cup glory, one thing is clear: Cyriel Dessers isn’t just knocking on the door of history—he’s breaking it down, goal by goal.
