{"id":1585,"date":"2026-06-06T12:35:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T09:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zalebs.com\/news\/femi-azeez-responds-to-odemwingie-talk-as-aston-villa-watch-grows\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T12:35:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T09:35:07","slug":"femi-azeez-responds-to-odemwingie-talk-as-aston-villa-watch-grows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zalebs.com\/news\/femi-azeez-responds-to-odemwingie-talk-as-aston-villa-watch-grows\/","title":{"rendered":"Femi Azeez Responds to Odemwingie Talk as Aston Villa Watch Grows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Millwall wide man Femi Azeez has addressed the growing chatter among Nigerian supporters that he looks and plays like former Stoke City attacker Osaze Odemwingie.<\/p>\n

From fresh call-up to growing Odemwingie comparisons<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Azeez, 24, earned his first invitation to the Nigeria men\u2019s national team last month as preparations began for the 2026 Unity Cup.<\/li>\n
  2. He was named in the starting lineup for Nigeria\u2019s semi-final against Zimbabwe.<\/li>\n
  3. In the match versus the Warriors, the Millwall winger scored twice, helping Chelle\u2019s team secure a 2-0 victory.<\/li>\n
  4. Following that performance, fan reaction intensified, with many supporters expressing a desire to see Azeez feature more regularly in Super Eagles colours.<\/li>\n
  5. Azeez was also named in the 2025\/2026 EFL Championship Team of the Year, adding to his rising profile in English football.<\/li>\n
  6. His appearance and style on the pitch have since led to comparisons with Odemwingie.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    While Azeez acknowledged the admiration behind the comparisons, he stressed that he understands what the former forward represents to Nigerians and wants to build his own legacy rather than simply mirror someone else\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m hearing it every day now, but I\u2019ve got to stay humble and create a name for myself,\u201d the ex-Reading winger said in an interview with Flashscore.<\/p>\n

    He added: \u201cI was really happy when I got the call from the manager. I was honoured and very proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Azeez also outlined his ambitions within the national team setup, saying: \u201cOf course, I\u2019d love to play with them [Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen].\u201d<\/p>\n

    He concluded by pointing to the quality of Nigeria\u2019s top names: \u201cThey\u2019re among the best players in Africa, so naturally I want to learn from them and improve my game.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Millwall wide man Femi Azeez has addressed the growing chatter among Nigerian supporters that he looks and plays like former Stoke City attacker Osaze Odemwingie. From fresh call-up to growing Odemwingie comparisons Azeez, 24, earned his first invitation to the Nigeria men\u2019s national team last month as preparations began for the 2026 Unity Cup. He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Femi Azeez Answers Odemwingie Talk as Villa Watch Grows","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Femi Azeez breaks silence on Osaze Odemwingie comparisons as Aston Villa interest builds, following his Nigeria call-up and semi-f","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nFemi Azeez Answers Odemwingie Talk as Villa Watch Grows<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Femi Azeez breaks silence on Osaze Odemwingie comparisons as Aston Villa interest builds, following his Nigeria call-up and semi-f\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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