Super Eagles midfielder Nathan Tella has expressed his excitement at the prospect of working under newly appointed head coach Erik ten Hag at Bayer Leverkusen while also setting his sights on making Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking to Olympics.com in London, the 26-year-old described ten Hag’s arrival as a fresh opportunity for him and his teammates to take their game to another level under a manager he holds in high regard.
“I’m always excited to work with new managers,” Tella said. “I feel like it’s a new chance for players, a new chance for opportunities to play in the team. It’s quite evident he’s a good manager — otherwise he wouldn’t have had a job at Ajax, he wouldn’t have had the job at Manchester United.”
“He won two trophies at United and what he did with Ajax was incredible,” Tella continued. “For him to have the opportunity to work at Leverkusen with me, with us as a team, I’m really looking forward to it and seeing how we can take my game to the next level.”
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Tella also reflected on Nigeria’s success at the 2025 Unity Cup, an invitational tournament involving Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago. The Super Eagles defeated Ghana in the semifinals before edging Jamaica on penalties to lift the trophy.
For Tella, who made his international debut in a 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw with Zimbabwe in 2023 and had to wait nearly two years for his second cap, the tournament was a special experience.
“That’s what I was focusing on; I wanted to be called up for this,” he said. “This was an opportunity to play in front of my family, representing my country. I don’t really think I’ve had a bigger honour in my life up to date.”
“It was a brilliant experience — to bring all the four nations together in London and play in a competition like this. It’s not just good for football, but it’s also good for the community, Africans and Caribbeans all around England.”
With the 2025 AFCON just months away, Tella has made securing a spot in Eric Chelle’s final squad one of his top priorities after missing the previous tournament in Ivory Coast.
“Because I missed out on the AFCON last year, my first aim is to be in the squad for that,” he explained. “I saw how well the boys did, and obviously the final was unfortunate. Seeing them represent our country made me proud and motivated me even more.”
“To even be selected, I need to show what I can do at club level. You’re not just handed the shirt. You have to earn it, work hard for it, and once you get in, you have to stay in. There’s no better feeling, no bigger achievement than representing your country.”
Tella also shared his excitement about the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from 31 October to 13 November 2026 in Senegal, noting the broader benefits of hosting a major global sporting event in Africa.
“I think it’s brilliant,” Tella said. “A lot of people don’t look at Africa with as much respect as they should, and the fact that you’ve got arguably the biggest world competition coming to the continent, all the spotlight is going to be on Africa. It’s a brilliant chance for exposure — for us as athletes and for the continent as a whole.”
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