Hamburg winger Philip Otele has expressed his delight after earning a call-up to the Super Eagles, describing the opportunity to represent Nigeria as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.

Otele made Nigeria's provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, though he knew his chances of making the final team were slim as manager Eric Chelle preferred to assess him in a friendly match before considering him for a competitive fixture.

After not featuring in Nigeria’s 2‑1 win over Iran, the Basel loanee made his first appearance for the Super Eagles on Tuesday evening, replacing Frank Onyeka in the closing minutes of a 2‑2 draw with Jordan.

Otele revealed ahead of his debut that the call-up to the Super Eagles was a proud moment not only for him but also for his family.

"My name is Philip Otele from Bayelsa State, Nigeria. I am a winger. I am very happy to be here; it's a pleasure for me and my family, and I want to say a huge thank you to God first. I also want to thank the Super Eagles for trusting me with this call-up," Philip Otele told the Super Eagles media team.

"For me, it was a dream come true. We always play football to represent the national team, so I always wanted to play for Nigeria, and it was a big moment for me and my family.

"I am proud of this moment. As a player, when you play for your national team, it gives you that extra boost, and it also means a lot in general because of the tournaments you get to play with the national team.

"Being here is a huge thing for me because I am a patriotic fan, and I have been following the team for a long time."