By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s senior national football team Head Coach, Eric Chelle, has named up to 25 professional footballers ahead of the Unity Cup Tournament in London.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Communications Department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Unity Cup Tournament, involving Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, and Trinidad and Tobago, will be staged at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London.
The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on Tuesday, 17 May, as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on UK soil.
The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final, which will come with all the intrigues and variables of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants.
All four teams will return on Saturday, 31 May 2025, for the grand finale, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures featuring in the third-place game before the final to determine the Unity Cup 2025 champions.
Full Players for Unity Cup Tourney
Goalkeepers – Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
Defenders – Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojetoye (Ikorodu City)
Midfielders – Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Collins Ugwueze (Enugu Rangers)
Forwards – Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United)
Russia Version
Talking about the friendly with Russia’s senior men’s team at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on Friday, 6 June, Coach Chelle picked a total of 21 players.
Complete Invitees to Face Russia
Goalkeepers – Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
Defenders – William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
Midfielders – Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards – Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Sadiq Umar (Valencia CF, Spain)
