Ex-England international John Fashanu has revealed the painful event that prevented him from representing Nigeria and shattered his dream of playing for the Super Eagles.

The Wimbledon legend recounted his attempts to wear the green and white jersey, only to be turned away each time because he refused to pay for a spot on the team.

According to the 63-year-old, the late business mogul and philanthropist Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola facilitated his trips to Nigeria on three separate occasions.

However, even Abiola’s influential backing could not protect him from the alleged corruption he faced from the federation.

Fashanu explains Super Eagles snub

Speaking to Emmanuel Babayaro on UTV Africa, Fashanu said: “We’ve got issues here, and I’m not naming the coach. The coach said, ‘John Fashanu, you’re a great player. You want to be a Super Eagles player? Then you’ve got to put down X amount.”

“I told him I didn’t have that money. I’d just come from an English family; we had no money. He said, ‘Well, if you don’t have that money, I don’t have that money, so let’s leave it’,” Fashanu recalled.

“He left me. I had to fly back to England, and I was lucky because it was MKO Abiola who brought me. I didn’t want to put any pressure on Abiola or ask him for money.

“I remember he asked me, ‘Have you paid?’ I said, ‘I cannot be seen paying to play football for my country. I have what it takes in this leg; I am not going to pay for it.

“No, I am sorry. Mr President, put me on a plane and let me just go home. The second time I came, it was almost the same thing again.”

Fashanu reveals how he pleaded

Fashanu explained that after multiple setbacks, he pleaded to be allowed into the team, promising to pay the requested sum from his match fees, but the response he received broke his spirit.

“The third time, I begged this man. I said, ‘I will give you the money when I’ve made my appearances and get paid, I promise you, I will pay you,’ ” he continued.

“He said, ‘No, John Fashanu, we can’t do it like that. Do you not think these other players have paid?’ I told him he shattered my belief when he said all the players had to pay to get into the team. That’s not football.

“So, I came three times. MKO Abiola brought me three times, which I never told anybody because I didn’t want the trouble, the fighting, the arguing,” he said.

“Three times to play for the motherland. In the end, on the fourth time, when I was getting ready in London, they said, ‘John Fashanu, you’re far better than what we have in the England team.

Come and play for England. And I went straight into the team, made my first appearance, and left Nigeria, very sad.”