Rangers and Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun, has expressed confidence in his teammate and compatriot, Cyriel Dessers, highlighting his maturity in dealing with being overlooked by the Nigeria national team.

Dessers has consistently proven his worth as a prolific striker, deserving of a spot in the Super Eagles squad. However, his opportunities with the national team have been limited.

Notably, he was left out of the squad for recent AFCON qualifiers, despite being in better form than some forwards who were called up at the time.

To date, the 30-year-old has made only six appearances for Nigeria, all in international friendlies, scoring two goals.

In an exclusive interview with Brila.net, Balogun shared how he offers advice and support to Dessers during these challenges.

“We talk about these things when it comes to the national team, and it’s dissatisfying anytime he isn’t called up,” Balogun said.

The 36-year-old defender shared a recent conversation he had with Dessers after Nigeria’s home loss against Rwanda.

“He said to me, ‘Did you watch the game the other night against Rwanda?’ and I told him I didn’t have any official links but managed to find a stream for the last 20 minutes. It was sort of dissatisfying again, but Dessers is old enough to handle it.”

Balogun compared Dessers’ national team struggles to the challenges the forward has faced at Rangers.

Despite an impressive return of 17 goals and 5 assists this season, Dessers has come under scrutiny from some Rangers fans who feel he hasn’t done enough.

His playing time has also decreased, with Hamza Igamane now favoured in his position.

“He is very mature,” Balogun said. “I tried to guide him as much as I could at the beginning to navigate Rangers and weather the storm.”

Balogun acknowledged the pressure that comes with playing at a big club like Rangers and praised Dessers for his resilience.

“He honestly had a tough start here. It’s not easy with the pressure and scrutiny, but I don’t think he needs much. Now and then, I just talk to him.

Whether it’s on the training pitch or during breaks giving him a few tips here and there.”

With his maturity and perseverance, Dessers continues to show he is capable of overcoming challenges, both at club and national levels.

The striker’s determination could eventually earn him the consistent recognition he deserves with the Super Eagles.