Glasgow Rangers forward, Cyriel Dessers admits he’s disappointed to have featured only in friendlies for the Super Eagles, after scoring and assisting in the recent 2025 Unity Cup triumph.
The 30-year-old Belgian-born Nigerian international has yet to play in a competitive match since his debut in 2020, a situation he described as “disappointing” and “hurtful.”
“It hurts sometimes. It feels disappointing,” Dessers told ModZero Sports.
“I’ve been in and around the squad for five years now, and I haven’t played an official game yet – just friendlies. I am going to say that hurts.”
Cyriel Dessers’ National Team Contributions: Unity Cup Heroics
Dessers first wore the Super Eagles jersey in a 1-1 friendly draw with Tunisia in October 2020, quickly following up by scoring against Algeria in another friendly days later.
He has since made seven appearances and scored four goals, all in non-competitive fixtures.
His most recent Unity Cup performances underscored his ability to deliver under pressure:
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Decisive goal vs. Ghana: Dessers scored the opener in Nigeria’s 2-1 semi-final win over the Black Stars, continuing his knack for tormenting Ghana.
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Key assist vs. Jamaica: In the final at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, Dessers set up Moses Simon’s match-winning goal, as Nigeria lifted the Unity Cup trophy.
“Even when people doubt you, whether it’s a coach, manager, press, or fans, you just keep going,” Dessers said.
“What helped me get to this point is that I love the game – training, playing, working hard. At the end, you’ll get your reward.”
Club Level: Prolific Form with Rangers
While Dessers’s national team opportunities remain limited, his club career has soared. After a solid 2022/23 season at Cremonese, where he scored seven Serie A goals despite relegation—he transferred to Rangers in Scotland.
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2023/24 Season: Netted 22 goals in debut season, helping Rangers win the Scottish Cup and reach the Europa League final.
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2024/25 Season: Improved to 29 goals in 55 appearances, earning the Scottish Premiership Golden Boot.
His prolific form has only intensified his frustration over national team omissions.
Depth of Striking Options: Competitive Spot Elusive
Dessers acknowledges Nigeria’s wealth of attacking talent has made it difficult to break into competitive lineups. He specifically cited Victor Osimhen as a fixture in the “number one” spot, leaving other forwards vying for limited minutes.
“There are always a lot of different factors. You have a few strikers, for example Victor Osimhen who is the clear number one, and it always depends on form, on choices, on personal opinion,” Dessers explained.
Nevertheless, he believes his club performances have merited consideration for official matches, particularly the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, where he felt his form was strong enough to earn selection.
“I would say the two Afcons I missed out on really hurt because I felt like at that time with my form I had a place in the squad. But it’s a big country, there’s a lot of competition, we have a lot of good strikers.”
Beyond goals, Dessers has also provided three assists for Nigeria, reinforcing his all-around offensive capabilities.
Cyriel Dessers Eyes 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Call-Up
Determined to finally appear in an official match, Cyriel Dessers is focused on earning a call-up for Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures starting in September.
The Super Eagles currently face a challenging qualification path and could benefit from his hunger and form.
“I’m hoping to get a call up in September. I will do everything to get a call up in September and finally get the chance to play an official game, meet the fans and make one of my dreams come true,” Cyriel Dessers said.
