Super Eagles star Calvin Bassey says God is the number one factor in his career decision

Calvin Bassey on criticism from Dutch legends — ‘I don't really care what they say’

EXCLUSIVE Super Eagles star Calvin Bassey says God is the number one factor in his career decision

Joba Ogunwale 08:56 - 27.03.2023

The Super Eagles star told Pulse Sports that he does not make any decision without praying to God first.

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has said that God told him to join Ajax from Rangers last summer. 

Bassey joined Ajax from Rangers for a €23.00m, a record-breaking fee for a defender in the Dutch Eredivisie. 

Bassey snub Premier League clubs for Ajax

While Ajax are a big club and paid big money to sign him, Bassey’s decision to move to the Netherlands ahead of the Premier League surprised many. 

Bassey snubbed Premier League clubs for Ajax
Bassey joined Ajax from Rangers last summer

The Nigeria international was the darling of many admirers in the Premier League last summer after a superb season with the Gers. 

Bassey helped Rangers to the final of the Europa League, which they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties. 

His performance in the final earned him the man-of-the-match award and was also named in the team of the season. 

Bassey’s performance in the final summed up his two years at Rangers, having joined the club from Leicester City in 2020. 

Calvin Bassey had two successful years at Rangers
Calvin Bassey during his time at Rangers.

Following the final, Bassey was linked with a host of many clubs in the Premier League. However, surprisingly, the Nigerian centre-back decided against returning to England, signing for Ajax instead. 

Bassey has now explained the reason behind his decision, saying it was a direction from God. 

Super Eagles star Calvin Bassey only looks up to God

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pulse Sports ahead of Nigeria’s game against Guinea-Bissau, Bassey said he only followed God’s lead after praying to him. The 23-year-old insists he will never make a decision that concerns his career without asking God in prayers first. 

When asked about what influenced his decision to choose Ajax over Premier League clubs in England. 

God played a role in Bassey's decision to join Ajax
Calvin Bassey says he only looks up to God

Bassey told Pulse Sports: ‘’God is my strength. And before every decision I play, I pray and ask God to give me direction my mother, you know, and I know, I don't know, sometimes I just feel like the plan I have for myself is not as good as the plan God has for me.

“So sometimes I've got to stay out of my comfort zone to be able to go to that next level.

Speaking further, Bassey said that the Premier League would not have been a comfort zone for him, but it would have been easier for him to settle down. 

“You know, I wouldn't say the Premier League would have been a comfort zone,” Bassey continued. 

“It would have been easier to integrate and would have been something more familiar, but I chose to go to somewhere I would be considered different to challenge myself.

“And I think, you know, that's the only thing I could say just got focus, determination and I trust my ability and I trust myself in everything I do. That's it.

var widgetLoaderConfig = widgetLoaderConfig || { CDN_URL: 'https://widgets.sportal365.com', APP_LINK: 'desktop', API_URL: 'https://africa.football.api.sportal365.com/', API_KEY: '2f852b4de2f3a5cf3188e74b33087bb4:2c18422f8e826a7d11aeed52edb2449e', LANG: 'en', REQUEST_INTERVAL: 30, ENABLE_BET_SLIP: false, AUTHOR: false, THEME: "light", TOURNAMENT_ORDER: "pulse_nigeria", LINK_OPTIONS_V2: { 'player' : { 'url': '/football/player/{playerId}' }, 'team' : { 'url': '/football/{teamId}' }, 'tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}' }, 'match': { 'url' : '/football/match/{matchId}', 'sort': { 'criteria': 'alphabetically', 'direction': 'asc' } }, 'configuration': { 'newWindow': false }, 'standings_tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}/standings' } } }; if (!document.querySelector('script[src="https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js"]')) { window.setTimeout(function () { let scriptCss = document.createElement('link'); scriptCss.href = 'https://www.pulsesports.co.ke/css/sport-widgets.css?v=1668785443'; scriptCss.rel = 'stylesheet'; scriptCss.type = 'text/css'; document.body.appendChild(scriptCss); let scriptTag = document.createElement('script'); scriptTag.src = 'https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js'; scriptTag.defer = true; scriptTag.onload = function () { window.setTimeout(function () { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }, 200); }; document.head.appendChild(scriptTag); }, 0); } else { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }

“I trust myself to go and overcome every challenge that comes my way and that's what I tried to do,” Bassey concluded. 

Bassey’s contract at Ajax runs until the summer of 2027. 

Related content