Tyronne Ebuehi has no regrets about playing for Nigeria

Nigeria defender Tyronne Ebuehi spent four years with Dutch club ADO Den Haag but has now joined Portuguese club Benfica

Benfica's Tyronne Ebuehi insists he has no regrets about choosing to play for Nigeria rather than the Netherlands.

The 22-year-old was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Nigerian father, making him eligible for both countries.

Ebuehi was part of Nigeria's squad at the World Cup but only played as substitute in the 2-0 win over Iceland.

"There's absolutely no regrets, it was a big choice and one I can happily live with," the defender told BBC Sport.

"My father was born in Nigeria and he is from Benin City, which makes me half Nigerian. My mother is from Holland, so I'm half Nigerian and half Dutch.

"Nigeria is one of the biggest football countries in Africa. I think it was a great opportunity for me to play for Nigeria.

"So I'm happy that I made this decision. I think it's the best decision I have made in my football career."

Ebuehi began his professional career at ADO Den Haag and scored once in 82 appearances for the club.

He signed a five-year deal to join Portuguese giants Benfica before the start of the tournament in Russia.

He also revealed that fellow Dutch-born defender William Troost-Ekong had played a 'big role' in his decision to fly in the colours of Nigeria.

"Born in the same city [Haarlem] as me, Troost-Ekong gave me some advice and told me about the benefits of playing for Nigeria," he said.

"As a big brother he had played for the Netherlands at junior levels before choosing Nigeria, so he also had a big role to play in my decision."

Despite taking his time before making a commitment, Ebuehi made his debut against Togo in June 2017.

He has played eight times for the Super Eagles and produced some eye-catching performances for the three-time African champions in the friendlies against Argentina, Poland, Serbia, England and Czech Republic.