Which national team will Eddie Nketiah play for? Arsenal star's eligibility options explained

Both of the strikers eligible national sides have qualified for the 2022 World Cup

Eddie Nketiah saw his stock soar in the 2021-22 season after scoring vital goals for Arsenal in their bid to secure Champions League football.

The 22-year-old spent his youth career playing for both Chelsea and Arsenal before ultimately signing on as a professional in the red side of London in 2017.

Nketiah has already represented one of his nations at the youth level and scored an abundance of goals doing so, though that was not enough to earn him a place in the senior level.

So, which nations can Nketiah play for, and which team will he represent? GOAL takes a look.

Which national teams is Eddie Nketiah eligible for?

Nketiah is eligible to play for both England and Ghana.

London born and raised, his British citizenship makes him eligible to play for the Three Lions, and he has already done so at youth level.

On March 22, 2017, Nketiah earned his international debut for England at U18 level, playing against Saudi Arabia U19. In the 58th minute, he scored England's second goal in a 2–0 victory.

Then, in October 2020, Nketiah broke Alan Shearer's record by scoring in a 2-1 victory over Turkey to become England U21's all-time leading goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Nketiah’s background has allowed him to be granted a Ghanaian passport, making him eligible to represent the nation, though he has thus far turned down offers to do so.

Which national team will Eddie Nketiah play for?

Despite previously dismissing the opportunity to play for Ghana, it now appears that the Arsenal forward will declare his football allegiance, according to football.london.

Nketiah, whose family has previously been approached by the Ghanaian football association on a number of occasions, appears to have been persuaded to represent the West African nation as the 2022 World Cup approaches.

With the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden, among others, operating in England's forward line, a chance to play in the World Cup may be much more viable with Ghana than with England for Nketiah, given the competitive landscape posed by The Three Lions.

How can Eddie Nketiah change national teams?

Footballers are generally allowed to request one change of national association under FIFA's national team eligibility rules, though reversals can be facilitated in particular circumstances.

Article 8 of the FIFA Statutes lays out the rules for changing associations. Players who wish to change national teams must formally request a change from FIFA, and their case is then reviewed by the Players Status Committee.

However, because Nketiah has yet to represent England at the senior level, this process may be relatively straightforward for the 22-year-old