Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has opened up about his unconventional journey to the Super Eagles, revealing that he once stepped away from football to learn a trade as a barber before finding his way back to the pitch
The midfielder, who has earned his first senior national team call-up ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, is among the new faces selected for Nigeria’s squad. His rise has been shaped by resilience and family support, following an early career that began in the Nigeria Premier Football League with Remo Stars before he moved abroad.
Reflecting on his beginnings, Akinsanmiro credited his family for sparking his love for the game. “Well, daddy inspired me a lot, he was once a footballer, and my two brothers too. They were footballers too. I took a lot of interest in the game while watching them play.”
However, his path was not without detours. At a point, he paused his football ambitions entirely to acquire another skill. “Then, there was a time I took a break from football to learn barbing. I’m a professional barber too. I must thank my father and brothers for their support.”
Now on loan at Pisa from Inter Milan, Akinsanmiro admitted that his Super Eagles invitation caught him off guard, especially after missing a previous opportunity due to injury. “I was not expecting it to be honest, the first time I was contacted was during the World Cup qualifiers, but I was injured and couldn’t make it.”
When the latest call finally arrived, emotions took over. “So, when this invitation came, I called someone close to me. I was actually shedding tears because it was a dream come true for me.”
The midfielder also spoke about years of persistence with Nigeria’s youth teams and moments of self-doubt along the way. “I have been trying to play for the national team, from U-17 to U-20. Then, I felt maybe I was not good enough. I told myself I will keep pushing and doing my possible best, may be one day the invitation will come.”
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