Nelson Osayi, father of Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel, has revealed that his son was born outside Nigeria, contrary to popular belief.

It had been widely reported that Bright was born in Okija, Anambra State, but Nelson Osayi has now clarified that his son was actually born in Europe, though he did not disclose the specific country.

However, Lagos-born Nelson Osayi, who also played football in his younger years, previously lived in Germany before relocating to Spain.

In the weeks leading up to Bright Osayi-Samuel’s international debut against Portugal, the right-back did not possess a Nigerian passport.

However, the Nigeria Football Federation fast-tracked the issuance of the document, with the Nigerian embassy in Ankara travelling to Istanbul to facilitate its delivery to the former Fenerbahçe star.

Nelson Osayi had a well-paying job in Lagos but chose to move abroad in search of better opportunities as he did not want any of his children to be born in Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview conducted in 2023 but released on Tuesday via Elegebte TV Sports, Nelson Osayi reflected on his son's upbringing.

"I am a Nigerian. He was born here in Europe. I have told him everything about my country right from when he was even a year old. I knew they would call him (up) to the national team," he said.

"They came and interviewed us, and I have been telling him Nigeria is not Europe, where you dress up and go out at midnight and come back around 6.

"I have been telling him, and even his sisters know a lot about Nigerians.”

Bright Osayi-Samuel has made 34 appearances for the Super Eagles and played a key role in their bronze-medal finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel