Leeds United defender Isaac Schmidt will no longer be able to play for the Super Eagles after making his first competitive appearance for Switzerland.
The 25-year-old came off the bench during Switzerland’s 3-0 victory over Slovenia in a World Cup qualifier on Monday at St. Jakob Stadium. His second-half substitution for Silvan Widmer sealed his international future with the Swiss team.
Schmidt, who was born in Lausanne to a Swiss-German father and a Nigerian mother, had been eligible to represent Nigeria, Switzerland, or Germany before this match.
His decision comes as a blow to the Nigeria Football Federation, which had been hopeful of convincing him to wear the green and white jersey. With this step, Schmidt follows the path of other players like Manuel Akanji and Noah Okafor, who were also eligible for Nigeria but chose Switzerland instead.
The Swiss Football Association expressed joy at securing his services, while some Nigerian fans online expressed disappointment. One fan wrote, “We keep losing talented players to other countries. The NFF needs to do better.” Another comment read, “Another Akanji story again. When will we learn to act fast?”
Schmidt, who is currently on loan at German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen from Leeds United, is expected to be part of Switzerland’s long-term plans as they push for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
