When Kenneth Omeruo returned to Chelsea
training after Nigeria qualified for the World
Cup on November 16, David Luiz walked over
to the youngster, shook his hand and said:
“Well done, welcome to Brazil.’’ This week’s
group-stage draw will further focus the minds
of those heading to the 2014 World Cup.
Luiz’s compatriots, Oscar, Ramires and
Willian, also congratulated the 20-year-old
centre-half. So did the other players. Omeruo
has yet to make his debut for Chelsea but is
popular amongst the players and is highly
regarded enough by Jose Mourinho to have a
shirt, No 59, and a place in training.
Omeruo is being talked of as one of the
potential young stars of the tournament. He
has had a remarkable year, winning his first
cap in January against Cape Verde, winning
the Africa Cup of Nations, playing in the
Confederations Cup in Brazil and guaranteeing
a return with that qualifying success in a
rainy Calabar and his 15th cap.
"I’ve been dreaming of playing in the World
Cup," said Omeruo. "Playing in the
Confederations Cup gave us the desire that we
had to be in the World Cup. I’m really looking
forward to the draw. If we get England, we will
have to prepare our minds right.
"At Chelsea, we are really focused on the club
but sometimes Jose makes fun. In a training
session last week, I made a wrong pass. ‘If
you do that in the World Cup, Nigeria is out!’
Jose said. We were laughing. It’s quite quiet
now about the World Cup between the players
but after the draw, it will get noisy.
"I talked to Luiz about the World Cup. He
speaks good English and he’s a really nice
guy. Before the last game (the win over
Ethiopia), Luiz and the other Brazilians were
making fun of us: ‘Are you are going to
qualify?!’ It’s nice. When I came back, Luiz
said: ‘Well done, welcome to Brazil.’ They all
said nice things.
"It was great when we qualified. Everyone was
so happy. It was like when we won the
Nations Cup, it was crazy. Everyone was on
the street. We couldn’t fail the fans. We had
to qualify for them. When I was injured (a
shoulder injury picked up against Spain during
the Confederations Cup) I got messages and
tweets from fans saying how much they
missed me. The coach Stephen Keshi called
me to find out how I was doing, to let me
know I was still part of the team. I was eager
to come back and play."
This will be the Super Eagles’ fifth World Cup
and a nation of 160 million backs them
passionately. "When I was young, and Nigeria
won, I would join everyone running in the
streets of Abuja, the capital where I grew up.
My dad is a plumber and my mum has a
small restaurant. We always watched Nigeria’s
games. From when I was a young age, my
mum always said: ‘One day you’re going to
wear the national team jersey.’ It’s happened.
The Africa Nations was in Abuja which made
my mother very happy. She didn’t miss
anything. She closed the restaurant, and
everyone came to the games, always wishing
me good luck."
He was too young to remember Nigeria’s
greatest side which reached the round of 16 at
USA 94 and France 98. "People always talk
about the 94 team. Michael Emenalo
(Chelsea’s technical director) was in the team.
The coach now, Stephen Keshi, was the
captain then. When he addresses us, he says
that he sees the character of that 94 side in
us now. It means a lot.
"There were times when there was no unity in
the national team. In 2010, the country was
really disappointed with the outcome." The
president Goodluck Jonathan was so angered
by the team’s performance in South Africa
that he briefly banned them.
"Now the atmosphere is really good. We work
together. Now if you see us, everyone jokes
with each other. We have a character
Azubuike (Egwuekwe), a centre-back who
plays in Nigeria (for Warri Wolves). He is the
character, very loud and jokey. He makes fun
of even the coaches when they are not paying
attention. We won the Nations Cup, the
Under-17s won the World Cup (in November)
and we’ve qualified for Brazil. We just have to
improve on that and make an impression in
the World Cup."
He’s come a long way. "I grew up playing in
the streets of Abuja. We’re a football family.
My father used to be a goalkeeper locally, not
serious. My older brother plays. My younger
brother will be going to Standard Liege for a
trial. A coach of a boys’ club came to our
house, talked to my parents and said: ‘Your
son is playing with me’. I played barefoot in
matches until I was 10. In 2009, I went to
Anderlecht for two months, came back, and
then Standard Liege sent for me.
"I was playing at Standard Liege in the
reserves, then played in the Under-20 World
Cup and got a call that Chelsea were
interested. Emenalo was the one that called. I
couldn’t believe it. Chelsea! I watched Chelsea
growing up. I liked Mikel and I used to hear
about Celestine Babayaro. When Chelsea win
in Nigeria, people celebrate like it’s the
country winning. Chelsea are more popular
than Manchester United in Nigeria. United are
the second.
"In some places they actually fight after
Chelsea against Manchester United games.
You also see the bikers who do the
transportation ride around with the flags of
Chelsea and Man U. That’s how much they
love football in Nigeria.
"When I got signed by Chelsea I was loaned
directly to Den Haag to improve my game.
Their fans are passionate. Every player has a
song the fans sing to boost you. The Den
Haag fans shout my name and sing: ‘He’s
here, he’s there, he’s every f****** where’."
Omeruo played right-back to cover for injuries
but “centre-back is my best position”.
Mourinho clearly rates him. "The way he talks
about me, and says ‘Kenneth, my friend’, gave
me the impression he actually likes me. After
the Nations Cup when he came in, Mikel told
me Jose asked after me. So I was happy that
he recognizes me.
"In Nigeria everyone says: ‘He’s the Special
One! The Special One!’ Coming close you really
know why he’s special. The players respect
him. He knows how to handle the players, how
to talk to us. The training is the best. At first
it was difficult to cope but now I’m used to it.
Before the West Ham game, he knew what
pattern West Ham were going to play. We
were the other team, playing like West Ham
were going to play, and everything Jose spoke
about in training happened in the game. I got
to respect him even more because of that.
"The players are nice people. Michael Essien is
really nice to me. Ashley Cole always
encourages me. Every tackle I win you always
hear him say: ‘Well done Kenneth’. Ash tells
me: ‘It’s going to be your time soon and you
have to grab the opportunity when it comes’.
John Terry is good, talking to us. He’s huge,
strong. As a young player when I watch the
older ones, putting so much effort into
training, I tell myself I have to do more.
"I have to be really focused in training. Each
striker is a talent. If you have not conceded a
goal for five minutes, you think you are good
enough to play anywhere. It’s tough playing
against Fernando Torres. You have to be
strong and make sure he doesn’t beat you.
These are great players I used to watch when I
was in Belgium. It feels good to play with
them. Samuel Eto’o is so big in Africa. I was
really happy when I got to meet Eto’o and
Essien."
Omeruo nodded at the mention of the kinship
between African footballers seen with the
continent’s support of Ghana in the knock-out
stages of 2010.
"We give all the support to all the other
African countries. In the Under-20 World Cup
in Colombia, when Ghana were out, their
coaches and players came to us and said:
‘You are the ones left now, make us proud’."
Omeruo hopes to make his country, his
continent and Chelsea proud.

Dats my guy

that's true bro...i know that kenneth is a good player and he's one of the stars everyone would be looking for..he did a great work during the AFCON2013 and confederations cup...i love that guy....UP BLUES...4 life....that guy is one player that would shock everyone during the WORLD CUP....