Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) academy former trainee, Denis Bonaventure shines on his English Premier League (EPL) debut.
Dennis is the third graduate from the prestigious NFF academy, now known as the Future Eagles to sign for an EPL club in seven years.
As an Under 15 boy in 2012, Dennis was just one of the many hugely talented young players scouted through the NFF's yearly U13/U15 tournament held across a country with over 200 million population.
His rise follows the stardom achieved by another academy graduate, Kelechi Iheanacho, who has remained in the realms of many accolades including several man-of-the-match awards. Dennis an exciting talent whose potentials were hidden in his many "leg-over" tricks. was often introduced as a substitute by the team handlers because of the high level of ball retention skills displayed during games.
NFF's Assistant Director, technical, Siji Lagunji says "Dennis Bonaventure was invited into the U15 program I think in the year 2012 if I'm not mistaken... He was a very technical player, very good with dribbling and that was the major problem he had." Lagunji described has a player who held 'on to the ball ... the first thing he wants to do is to take on everybody that comes his way and he was very frail, very thin if I can say that, very smallish. So most of the time, he was brought into the game when the game was almost done with when the game was nearly won by the team but we could see that Dennis was a very good player, and I think he has proven that over time.
His first chance to show off to the world would however be denied him when the NFF cancelled the national U15 team's trip to Mexico in 2012.
The President of the Federation, Aminu Maigari, announced the country’s withdrawal from the Adidas U-15 Youth Invitational Tournament, Mexico 2012 leading to heartbreak for some aspiring young footballers. Maigari said the country was pulling out from the tournament due to some logistic reasons.
Though missing out on that opportunity was a setback, Dennis, nicknamed Neymar due to a similar style of play to PSG's Brazilian forward Neymar would eventually be scouted and signed by Ukrainian club FC Zorya. He had to fight his way into the first team and when given the chance, he scored on his debut in a 3-0 victory over Olimpik Donetsk.
His move to Zorya meant that he was not available to graduate and play for the Nigeria U17 team which won the FIFA U17 world cup in 2015.
He moved to Belgian team Club Brugge in May 2017, which was after clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Fenerbahçe, and some other top European clubs had shown interest in him.
He also scored on his debut in a 3-3 draw with İstanbul Başakşehir in a third-round champions league game.
Though not a proper number 9, Dennis is a modern-day forward who can play anywhere in the front three.
NFF's first vice president Seyi Akinwunmi describes the idea behind Nigeria’s youth football development system which produced Dennis.
"The idea behind the NFF Academy program known as the Future Super Eagles is to give young players the opportunity to travel across different countries and in the process play football that they all love. And for us to be able to look at the best players in all the states and fashion them into a squad that can grow to the point where they representative Nigeria and help them be the best they can be."
Dennis' highlight at Club Brugge would come when he scored twice in a 2–2 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against Real Madrid in the group stage of the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League season.
A loan move to FC Köln in the German Bundesliga in January 2021 was not as productive; he made just nine league appearances throughout the season.
However, Dennis has quickly settled into life in England his new home, scored and assisted a goal on his Watford debut in their 2021/2022 EPL opener against Aston Villa, which Watford won 3–2.
Dennis now joins Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi to become the 3rd NFF football academy product to sign for an EPL team.
"It is important for the NFF to see academy products dominate the Super Eagles in the future because that's why they're called the future Super Eagles and this gives credence to all the works we have done with the U 13 and the U 15 teams over the years. We believe they are capable of dominating the super Eagles. We believe that there is enough talent in there to make Nigeria proud in the future." Akinwunmi boasts.
At the current development rate, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr must be relishing a chance to play players like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Dennis Bonaventure, Kelechi Nwakali, Taiwo Awoniyi all former Nigeria national U23 teammates in the same tea
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