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In recent times, there has been growing speculation about Crystal Palace goalkeeper Owen Goodman and his potential to play for Nigeria.
Goodman recently visited Nigeria and met with NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
This article explores the promising 20-year-old goalkeeper and his prospects for joining the Super Eagles.
Who is Goodman?
Owen Olamidayo Goodman was born on November 27, 2003, to an English father and a Nigerian mother.
He began his football journey with South Simcoe United and County FC Academy in Alliston, Ontario.
Goodman joined the Crystal Palace academy at the under-13 level and signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2021 at the age of seventeen.
Although he hasn’t yet made his debut for Crystal Palace, Goodman was named on the Eagles’ bench four times and was included in the first-team squad for their Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2022.
Owen Goodman during the Chelsea U21 v Crystal Palace U21 Premier League 2 match. (Photo by Clive Howes – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
He also featured on the bench for away matches against Brighton and Hove Albion, Arsenal, and Southampton.
In November 2022, he signed a contract extension with Crystal Palace which according to the club’s academy director, Gary Issott, Goodman has been with the club since the under-13s, rising through the ranks and adapting his playing style to meet the demands of a modern goalkeeper.
In July 2023, Goodman joined League Two club Colchester United on loan season, and made 40 league and cup appearances with four clean sheets, impressing Colchester coach Danny Cowley who believes Goodman’s first campaign in regular senior football could be a turning point in his career.
Goodman’s International Career: Still Eligible for the Super Eagles?
Eligible to play for England, Canada, and Nigeria, he was first called up to the England U-18 side in 2021, although he didn’t make any appearances.
In April 2022, he accepted a call-up to the Canada Under-20 team for friendlies against Costa Rica, making one appearance.
Goodman was subsequently invited to the Nigeria U-20 training camp in January 2023 but declined the offer.
His goal was reportedly to play for England, an opportunity he seized when he was called up to the country’s under-20 team on March 25, 2023.
Since then, he has made two appearances for England U-20, playing against Portugal U-20 and Romania U-20.
According to FIFA’s rules on switching nationalities, players can switch if they have played no more than three competitive matches at the senior level before turning 21.
Given that Goodman’s three caps for England and Canada are in international friendlies and one appearance in the U20 Elite League, he is still eligible to play for Nigeria.
What Could He Bring to the Nigerian National Team?
Super Eagles Goalkeepers, Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali. Photo | Getty
