By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria has finally released a 25-man list for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Cote d’ivoire, including under-performing goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
The squad picked by Coach
Jose Peseiro has three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards.
This was contained in a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday night.
NFF Confirmation
Part of the statement reads, “Captain Ahmed Musa returns to the squad after he was left out of the starting games to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series, while South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili is picked alongside Francis Uzoho and Olorunleke Ojo.
“2009 U17 World Cup star Kenneth Omeruo (the only other candidate in the team apart from Musa who was in Nigeria’s 2013 squad that triumphed in South Africa) leads the defenceline alongside William Ekong, as well as Olaoluwa Aina, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Chidozie Awaziem, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Bruno Onyemaechi.
“Wilfred Ndidi is also back in the roost after missing the World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and will be expected to adequately feed the strike-force alongside Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika, Joe Ayodele-Aribo and Frank Onyeka.
“Musa, Nigeria’s record goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup finals with a brace each in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, is in the forward-line alongside Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman.”
Pre-Tournament Arrangement
The statement further revealed that all the 25 players will depart from their different bases on Tuesday January 2, 2023 to fly into Abu Dhabi, capital city of the United Arab Emirates, for a one-week training camp that will last until Tuesday January 9.
The team will fly back to Lagos same day, then fly into the Ivorian capital, Abidjan on Wednesday January 10.
The Super Eagles, in their quest for a fourth continental title, will take on Equatorial Guinea on Sunday January 14 in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Cote d’Ivoire January 18 and Guinea Bissau January 22.
From Historical Perspective
Nigeria, that will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations for the 20th time, were champions as hosts in 1980, triumphant in Tunisia in 1994 and crowned winners in South Africa in 2013.
When Cote d’Ivoire hosted the finals in 1984, a young Nigerian squad led by the inimitable Stephen Keshi went all the way to the Final, before losing to much-experienced Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in a memorable Final at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.
The Full Super Eagles Squad
The invited goalkeepers are Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England) and Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal) are defenders.
The midfielders are Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England), while Forwards include Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany).
