The Royal Belgian Football Association appears to be leading the race to secure the international future of highly-rated Racing Genk Ladies forward Thirsa De Meester, despite her eligibility to play for Nigeria’s Super Falcons. The 18 year old, born in Lommel, Belgium, is widely hailed as the most talented player produced by Genk’s women’s team in recent years.
De Meester, whose Nigerian heritage qualifies her to represent Nigeria, has already played competitive youth-level matches for Belgium’s U16, U17, and U19 teams, rendering her provisionally cap-tied to the European nation. She recently returned to action in February 2025 after a nine-month injury layoff, making a brief but notable appearance against national champions Anderlecht.
Although she remains involved with Belgium, De Meester has expressed an interest in Nigeria’s national teams by following the Super Falcons and Super Eagles on social media. Her case mirrors that of Cyriel Dessers, another Belgian-born player who eventually pledged his senior allegiance to Nigeria after representing Belgium at youth level.
Nigeria previously lost a similar recruitment battle for former Genk striker Marvin Ogunjimi, who opted to continue with the Belgian Red Devils. The Nigerian Football Federation may need to act decisively to avoid missing out on yet another promising dual-national prospect.
Editorial
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The tug-of-war over Thirsa De Meester is a microcosm of the wider challenge Nigeria faces in the global football diaspora. With European nations investing heavily in youth development, the NFF must move swiftly, smartly, and sensitively if it wishes to reclaim or recruit young dual-eligible stars like De Meester before it’s too late.
Her talent isn’t in question—she’s been hailed as the crown jewel of Genk’s women’s academy. What is uncertain is Nigeria’s readiness to compete—not just on the pitch, but in the boardroom, on the phone, and in long-term planning. We cannot afford to sit back and hope players will choose us out of sentiment alone. Football is strategic, and the pitch for De Meester must be compelling.
The pathway must be clear a vision of what she brings to the Super Falcons, who she’ll learn from, and where her journey in the green-and-white can take her. If Belgium is winning now, it’s because they’ve already shown belief. Nigeria must now match that belief with action.
The time to act isn’t tomorrow. It’s now.
Did You Know?
- Thirsa De Meester once scored 16 goals in a single youth season for Genk, leading the club’s U17 side to a regional title.
- Despite being born and raised in Belgium, she speaks basic Yoruba, which she picked up from her father’s side of the family.
- The Belgian Women’s Super League, where De Meester plays, has grown rapidly since 2020 and now includes full-time professionals.
- Genk’s women’s academy has produced more players for Belgium’s U19 team than any other club in the country.
- FIFA rules allow a player to switch national teams before their 21st birthday if they haven’t played a competitive senior international match, keeping De Meester’s Nigeria eligibility open.
