Retired professional footballer, John Fashanu, has revealed that he earns N5m monthly as pension from the Football Association [FA] in England.

Fashanu raised eyebrows when he opted to line up for England ahead of Nigeria during his playing days.

Fashanu explained that financial security, among other considerations, leaves players of Nigerian roots with no choice but to opt to play for their adopted countries.

He said he understood why in-form Chelsea players, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori, decided to play for England and not Nigeria.

“Till today, I still get my benefits, my pensions. I get N5m monthly as pensions for being an ex-footballer in England and I am now in my 50s,” he said in a Daily Trust report.

“Tammy knows why he hasn’t played for the Super Eagles and it’s because there is more financial benefits playing for England, there is more glory and less wahala.

“Why do we ask the boy to play for Nigeria and torture him? We need to step up. Tammy is a massive miss for Nigeria. Nobody went to London to talk to him and explain to him the benefits of playing for his motherland.

“And when you hear what happened to Kanu Nwankwo, Jay Jay Okocha, did anybody come out to defend him over his tax bills? Did anybody come out to defend Kanu when he had issues with his hotel?”