By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s Super Eagles Head Coach, Éric Sékou Chelle, has settled for in-form players ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Heritage Times HT reports that among those selected are African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen, among others, in the final 23-man Nigerian list.
Notably, the new coach left out captain Ahmed Musa, the misfiring Kelechi Iheanacho, and a list of others.
In the list released a few minutes ago on Tuesday, the coach also named goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Kayode Bankole, defenders William Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Olaoluwa Aina, as well as midfielders Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and Simon Moses.
Also in the final list are defenders Bruno Onyemaechi and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Sadiq Umar.
Czech Republic-based defender Igoh Ogbu makes the final cut, alongside home-based midfielder Papa Daniel Mustapha and Belgium-based forward Tolu Arokodare.
Nigeria will confront Group C leaders Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, 21st March, before taking on Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, four days later.
Full List
Goalkeepers:
Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa)
Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania)
Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars, Nigeria)
Defenders:
William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia)
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahçe SK, Turkey)
Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece)
Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England)
Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)
Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
Midfielders:
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England)
Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)
Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA)
Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England)
Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes, Nigeria)
Forwards:
Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey)
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy)
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France)
Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain)
Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)
