Dillon Hoogewerf, 23, has nine goals for SBV Vitesse this season and could have played for the Netherlands. He wants Nigeria instead — and his reasons say a lot about where his heart truly lies.
A Choice That Wasn’t Difficult
There are players who agonise over their international future. Who spend months weighing up odds, opportunities, and tournament timelines before making a decision. Dillon Hoogewerf is not one of those players.
The 23-year-old forward, currently the top scorer for Dutch Eerste Divisie side SBV Vitesse with nine goals this season, has made his position clear: he wants to wear the green and white of the Super Eagles. Not because Nigeria is the easier path. But because Nigeria is where his heart is.
“It’s my mother’s country,” Hoogewerf told Dutch football publication Voetbal International. “I’ve been there a few times and have said I want to help people there.”
It’s a statement that cuts through all the usual diplomatic hedging around dual-nationality players. No “I’m still deciding.” No, “I need to speak to both federations.” Just a clean, honest declaration from a young man who knows exactly who he is.
Who Is Dillon Hoogewerf?
Born in Almere, Netherlands, Hoogewerf grew up in a country that produces world-class footballers at an almost industrial scale. His career path took him through the academies of Almere City, Ajax Amsterdam, Manchester United, and Borussia Mönchengladbach before he landed at Vitesse ahead of the 2024/25 season.
That’s a CV that demands attention. Ajax and Manchester United don’t take anyone. The fact that Hoogewerf passed through both academies tells you this is a player with serious technical ability.
At Vitesse, he’s been delivering on that promise. Nine goals in the current season make him the club’s standout attacker, and his performances have reignited conversations about his international future at the senior level.
Age: 23 (born Almere, Netherlands)
Current Club: SBV Vitesse (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
2025/26 Season Goals: 9
Previous Academies: Almere City, Ajax Amsterdam, Manchester United, Borussia Mönchengladbach
International Eligibility: Netherlands (youth caps at U15, U16, U17 level) and Nigeria (through Nigerian mother)
Last Netherlands involvement: November 2019 (U18 friendly vs USA — scored)
The FIFA Eligibility Question
Here’s where it gets technically interesting. Hoogewerf has previous international experience with the Netherlands, having represented them at the U15, U16, and U17 levels. His last cap came in November 2019, when he scored in a friendly against the United States U18 side.
Under FIFA’s revised eligibility rules introduced in January 2021, players who have represented one nation at the youth level can switch allegiance to another country if they meet certain conditions. Crucially, friendly matches played at the youth level do not automatically prevent a switch. And since Hoogewerf hasn’t featured for the Netherlands in over six years, and never played a competitive senior fixture for them, the door to Nigeria remains open.
He acknowledged as much himself. “When I was sixteen, I had the chance to play for Nigeria,” he said. “Then COVID hit, and I was playing for the Dutch youth teams. This season, we reconnected. To play for Nigeria, I have to play at a higher level.”
That last line is the most telling. He’s not saying “I hope Nigeria wants me.” He’s setting a personal standard. He understands that if he wants to wear the green and white, he needs to earn it with performances that make coach Eric Chelle impossible to ignore.
Why This Matters for the Super Eagles
Nigeria isn’t short of attackers right now. Victor Osimhen leads the line for Galatasaray. Terem Moffi just scored his first goal for Porto. Umar Sadiq continues to deliver for Valencia. The Super Eagles’ attacking options are genuinely exciting.
But depth at forward positions has always been a concern at the international level. Injuries to key attackers have repeatedly left Nigeria scrambling in major tournaments. Adding a player of Hoogewerf’s profile, a technically gifted forward who spent time at Ajax and Manchester United, who scores consistently at the professional level, gives Chelle genuine options.
More than that, Hoogewerf’s eligibility window is right now. He’s 23, he’s scoring, and he hasn’t played senior international football for either nation. If the NFF and Coach Chelle move quickly, this is a realistic, achievable addition to the squad. If they wait, the Netherlands federation may reconsider its interest.
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More Than Football
What separates Hoogewerf’s story from the typical dual-nationality player narrative is the depth of his reasoning. This isn’t just about tournament opportunities or career calculation. He’s seriously considered Nigeria as a country, a culture, and a place where he wants to make a tangible difference.
That kind of reflection, from a 23-year-old footballer, is genuinely rare. Most players at that age are focused purely on their next contract or their shot at European competition. Hoogewerf is reflecting on the gap between the opportunities he had and those others didn’t have.
He also cited cultural fit as a factor. “That culture suits me better,” he said. “There’s a better chance of being remembered in African countries. There are so many good footballers.”
It’s an honest assessment of what it means to compete for international recognition in a country like the Netherlands, where the pool of talent is extraordinary, and the margin for error is razor-thin. In Nigeria, a player who delivers consistently gets remembered for a generation. Hoogewerf understands that dynamic completely.
Editorial Perspective: Should the NFF Move Now?
The case for acting fast: Hoogewerf is 23, in form, and has senior European experience across elite youth academies. His eligibility window under FIFA rules is currently open. He’s publicly declared his desire to play for Nigeria. The NFF doesn’t need to do much convincing here. A phone call, a training camp invitation, and a proper introduction to Chelle’s setup could seal this relatively quickly.
The case for patience: Nine goals in the Dutch second division is promising but not yet elite-level production. Chelle might reasonably want to see Hoogewerf competing in a higher league before handing him international caps. The Super Eagles can’t afford to bring players into camp who aren’t genuinely ready for the physicality and pace of African football at the highest level.
The verdict: Start the relationship now. Invite him to observe a camp, build the connection, and let him know the door is open. By the time he earns a move to a top-flight league, you want him already invested in Nigeria’s project, not still weighing his options.
What Happens Next
Hoogewerf is clear that elevation is the prerequisite. He wants to play in the UEFA Champions League at club level, and he understands that to force his way into the Super Eagles reckoning, he needs a higher platform than the Dutch second tier. Whether that comes via a Vitesse promotion or a summer transfer to a top-flight club remains to be seen.
But the intention is set. The NFF now knows about a 23-year-old forward who scored nine goals this season, trained at Ajax and Manchester United, and is telling Dutch media that Nigeria is home. That’s not something you file away for later.
Coach Eric Chelle has built his Super Eagles reputation on identifying players with the right mentality as much as the right ability. Hoogewerf has clearly stated his own mentality. The next move belongs to Nigeria.
📌 Did You Know?
- SBV Vitesse are currently competing in the Dutch Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, after being relegated from the Eredivisie. The club has historically been a strong development ground for European talent.
- Hoogewerf was named Best Player at the 2018 Marveld Tournament, a prestigious youth tournament held in the Netherlands that has featured national youth sides from across Europe.
- Under FIFA’s January 2021 eligibility reforms, players who have appeared in friendly matches only at youth level have a viable pathway to switch international allegiance, provided they haven’t played a competitive senior international match for their first nation.
- Nigeria has a long tradition of successfully converting dual-nationality players into Super Eagles contributors, including William Troost-Ekong (Dutch-born), Leon Balogun (German-born), and Semi Ajayi (born in England).
- Hoogewerf had his first conversation about representing Nigeria at the age of 16, but COVID-19 disrupted the process, and he ended up playing for Dutch youth sides instead. He has since re-established contact with Nigerian football officials in the 2025/26 season.
- Borussia Mönchengladbach, one of Hoogewerf’s former clubs, has a well-established talent pathway that has produced players for multiple European national teams. His time there indicates scouts at the Bundesliga level saw genuine potential in him.
- Nigeria currently has Super Eagles-eligible players competing in the Netherlands, including several in Eredivisie clubs. Hoogewerf would add a unique forward profile to that pool, given his background across four different European academies.
