Has Anthony Nwakaeme done enough to earn Super Eagles recall?

For lesser known names, however, especially those with a questionable track record, doubts always remain because there's the tendency for things to revert to the mean.

Anthony Nwakaeme's case probably falls in the latter category, given his minimal popularity.

Nevertheless, the attacker's persistent performances are starting to catch the eye, owing to an amazing spell for Trabzonspor where he has scored five goals this season.

The peak of those performances was in a 5-1 victory over Yeni Malatyaspor in which he netted a goal and assist.

Be that as it may, it takes nothing away from Nwakaeme who's won one international cap for Nigeria, with the last one coming in 2017 under Gernot Rohr in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier against Algeria at Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

The encounter which ended 3-0 to the Super Eagles really helped them qualify for Russia 2018, but the then former Hapoel Beer Sheva forward hasn't donned the green of the three-time African champions since.

He failed to score in his only appearance for the Nigeria senior national team.

Four years down the line, could the 32-year-old be given another chance with the Africa Cup of Nations approaching?

In truth, as things stand, it's hard to fathom how the forward could break into the final 23-man side with the continental competition imminent. Gernot Rohr has his hands full with a plethora of attacking options at his disposal, which will inevitably lead to a few players feeling disgruntled after the German’s final selection.

Nevertheless, Nwakaeme will back himself to at least make the preliminary AFCON squad. His industry and knack for picking up the right positions on the pitch from time to time could add something to the West African's frontline.

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Ademetan Abayomi has always dreamt of being a sports journalist. His journey began 11 years ago when he created my first sports news page on Facebook, called "Futball Galore" and from there on his passion for sports journalism grew stronger. Now, he is a Sports News Reporter and Feature Writer where he strives to add value and learn as much as he can.

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