Stanley Nwabali’s inclusion in Jose Peseiro’s AFCON 2023 squad was unexpected, but he left a lasting impression in the tournament.

Super Eagles and Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Bobo Nwabali explained why many home-grown Nigerian players prefer moving to other African leagues rather than staying in Nigeria, according to Sportblog247.com.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper moved to South Africa from Katsina United two years ago and could soon transfer to a bigger club following his stellar performance at AFCON 2023, where he kept four clean sheets in seven games, helping the Super Eagles secure second place.

Having played at every level of local football in Nigeria, from non-league to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Nwabali recently discussed why South African players rarely move to Europe.

“Ronwen Williams is at Sundowns, he gets everything he wants, he’s got the name, the sponsor, his family is here, everyone is supporting him, he’s the captain of Bafana Bafana, and the league is okay. The league, the pay is a little bit nicer depending on the level of your team,” the former Enyimba goalkeeper told Far Post.

Comparing the NPFL to the South African league, Nwabali highlighted the significant pay gap, identifying money as the main reason players leave Nigeria.

“In West Africa, our leagues are not as good. We want to go to Europe, we want to come to South Africa, we want to go to Morocco, all those kinds of leagues. If your league is nice, there’s no point in leaving. If your league is nice, you’re getting paid, you’re getting sponsors, what are you leaving for? If you want to challenge yourself, you can still leave. It depends on you; if you can cope there, if you can’t cope there, it’s fine to just come back and play your football,” he added.

Nwabali has attracted interest from several European clubs after his impressive performance at AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, but his comments suggest he is content with his career at Chippa United in South Africa.