Former Super Eagles striker Dominic Iorfa has revealed that his move to Turkish giants Galatasaray in 1991 ended up costing him a place in Nigeria’s squad for the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations, Footynaija.com reports.
The 56-year-old, who played as a centre forward for several Nigerian and European clubs, made the admission while reflecting on his international career. Iorfa, born in Gboko, Benue State, was renowned for his blistering pace during his playing days.
After spells with BCC Lions, Abiola Babes and Ranchers Bees, he moved to Europe where he played for clubs including Royal Antwerp, Queens Park Rangers and Peterborough United. His stint in Turkey came in 1991 when he joined Galatasaray, making only eight appearances and scoring three goals before moving on.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Complete Sports during the public presentation of Dr. Mumini Alao’s autobiography at the University of Lagos, Iorfa opened up about how his transfer to the Turkish league impacted his national team opportunities.
“I can say I never got the opportunity to make my mark in the Super Eagles because there were so many players,” Iorfa explained.
“And I remember there was a time I went to Turkey and joined Galatasaray in 1991, I was dropped from the national team because it was like why would I be playing in Turkey, that the Turkish league is very bad. So because of my move to Galatasaray I was not part of the Super Eagles squad to the 1992 AFCON,” he added.
Iorfa’s absence from the 1992 tournament meant he missed out on Nigeria’s impressive run to a third-place finish in Senegal, a campaign that featured stars like Rashidi Yekini, Samson Siasia and Stephen Keshi.
The forward would go on to earn four senior caps between 1989 and 1995, including an appearance in the 1995 King Fahd Cup third-place match against Mexico.
After retiring from professional football, Iorfa transitioned into administration, serving as Vice Chairman and later Chairman of Lobi Stars, as well as holding roles within the Nigeria Football Federation.