Brentford defender Michael Kayode has revealed that Nigeria approached him over representing the Super Eagles, but he never seriously considered switching his international allegiance after progressing through Italy’s youth teams.
The 22-year-old has now received his first senior call-up to the Italian national team for the upcoming international fixtures, having previously represented the Azzurri at several youth levels.
Kayode played a key role in Italy’s success at the European Under-19 Championship, scoring the winning goal against Portugal in the final as the Italians claimed the title for the first time.
Reflecting on his decision to continue representing Italy, Kayode said there was little hesitation because of his long association with the country’s youth setup.
“It was a very easy decision. I went through all the youth teams here. Nigeria approached me, but I never thought about changing national teams,” Kayode said, according to Football Italia.
“I think Italy have always been a great national team, and playing here is an honour.”
The defender also revealed that he only discovered he had been called up to the senior Italy squad after Brentford’s match against Chelsea.
“I didn’t know about the Italy call-up before the game. I found out at the final whistle, on my phone. It was an incredible emotion, especially after such a big win,” he added.
Kayode began his professional career with Fiorentina before moving to Brentford, where he has established himself as a regular contributor. He has made 63 appearances for the Premier League club, scoring twice and providing three assists.
The defender also named Italian football legend Paolo Maldini as the player who has inspired him most throughout his career.
“Many full-backs inspire me, but the main one is [Paolo] Maldini. I love defending, and I believe he is the exception in this sport worldwide,” Kayode said.
The Nigerian-born defender has also attracted attention in England for his ability to produce long throw-ins, a skill he says he discovered almost by chance.
“One day, I woke up and found out I could do long throw-ins,” he said with a smile.
“I didn’t use it much here in Florence, but at Brentford I found out they had a coach who focuses on this, so we are practising it in training, and it’s more used in England.”
Kayode joined Brentford from Fiorentina on an initial €500,000 loan deal in January 2025, with an option to buy. The Premier League club subsequently made the transfer permanent for €17.5 million at the end of the campaign.
His senior Italy call-up now represents the latest step in a career that has seen him progress from the Italian youth setup to the Premier League and, potentially, the international stage with the Azzurri.
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