Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has named a 23-man squad, featuring captain William Troost-Ekong, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Victor Osimhen, for Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
The squad also includes goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, defenders Calvin Bassey and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, along with forwards Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface, and Samuel Chukwueze.
Defender Victor Collins, a home-based player, will join the team for the first time while towering forward Sadiq Umar from Real Sociedad in Spain makes his return. Additional defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Bruno Onyemaechi are also on the list, with France-based defender Gabriel Osho aiming to debut for Nigeria after missing a summer call-up due to injury.
The Super Eagles are set to travel directly to Abidjan on November 11 to face the Benin Republic’s Cheetahs at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny on Thursday, November 14. They will then return to Nigeria for their final qualifier against Rwanda’s Amavubi on Monday, November 18, at Uyo’s Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Currently atop Group D, the Super Eagles need only a point against Benin to secure their AFCON spot. A draw would take them to 11 points, uncatchable by Rwanda, their final-day opponents. With a dominant goal tally of seven scored and none conceded (boosted by CAF’s award of three points and three goals due to Libya’s forfeiture), Nigeria stands in a strong position, while Rwanda trails with a single-goal deficit and five points.
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Fasil Kenema SC, Ethiopia)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain).
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