Brentford's promising right-back, Michael Kayode, has made a definitive decision regarding his international allegiance, opting to represent Italy over Nigeria's Super Eagles. The 21-year-old, who joined Brentford from Italian side Fiorentina last summer for €17.5 million, has demonstrated remarkable consistency and versatility, featuring in nearly all of Brentford's matches this season.

Kayode, born in Italy to Yoruba parents, was eligible to play for Nigeria due to his heritage and the absence of a senior call-up from Italy. Reports last month indicated that top officials from the Nigeria Football Federation were actively pursuing a direct meeting with the defender, with the approval of head coach Eric Chelle, highlighting their strong interest. Kayode himself had previously acknowledged the opportunity to play for both nations, stating, “I’m happy that the Nigerian people are happy for me. The opportunity to play for both is amazing.”

Despite the strong interest from Nigeria, Kayode's heart lies with Italy. Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had even publicly urged the Italian FA to secure Kayode's commitment to Gli Azzurri to prevent him from choosing another nation. While a senior call-up has not yet materialized, Kayode unequivocally expressed his preference to Tuttosport: “I will always give priority to Italy: even at youth level, I grew up wearing the Azzurri shirt. I hope to achieve this dream as soon as possible, but I have no doubt about which path to choose.”

The young defender also revealed that he had discussions with former Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso prior to the World Cup play-offs in March, attending dinner with other Italian Premier League players. He felt involved and supported despite not being called up for those crucial matches. Currently, Kayode is concentrating on his club aspirations with Brentford, aiming to qualify for European competition. “For now, I’m only focused on qualifying for Europe with Brentford. We can aim to qualify for the cup until the end, so we don’t want to let our guard down,” he stated. He added that the prospect of wearing the Azzurri shirt would be an “enormous achievement, unthinkable until a few years ago,” a dream he would reflect on in the coming weeks.

Brentford currently sits 8th in the English Premier League table, just two points shy of a top-seven finish, which could secure a spot in a major European competition. The club has a long history, spanning 136 years, but has never before participated in a major European tournament such as the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League.