The Super Eagles’ 40-man provisional squad for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire has been unveiled.
Though, there is no official confirmation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) concerning the list.
The provisional list is made up six goalkeepers, 13 defenders, eight midfielders and 13 forwards.
Goalkeepers Amas Obasogie, Ojo Olorunleke and Christian Nwoke are the only home-based players included.
Francis Uzoho, Adebayo Adeleye and Chippa United first choice Stanley Nwabali make up the six goalkeepers shortlisted.
Also Read: UCL Last 16: Osimhen Gets Barcelona Test, Sanusi To Face Arsenal
William Troost-Ekong and Kevin Akpoguma are making a return to the team and will fight for a final spot in the defence alongside Kenneth Omeruo, Bruno Onyemaechi, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey, Jordan Torunarigha, Chidozie Awaziem, Tyronne Ebuehi and Jamilu Collins.
The midfield has Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Kelechi Nwakali, Joe Aribo, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
For the forwards, the shortlisted players are Emmanuel Dennis, Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu, Ahmed Musa, Cyriel Dessers and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Others are Ademola Lookman, Nathan Tella, Umar Sadiq, Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.
The Super Eagles are in Group A at next year’s AFCON with hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
In their opening Group A game which will hold on 14 January 2024, the Eagles will take on Equatorial Guinea.
Four days later they will face Côte d’Ivoire rounding off the group stage games when they face Guinea-Bissau on January 22.
Super Eagles’ AFCON 2023 40-man provisional squad:
Goalkeepers
1. Francis Uzoho
2. Adebayo Adeleye
3. Ojo Olorunleke
4. Stanley Nwabali
5. Amas Obasogie
6. Christian Nwoke
Defenders
1. Ola Aina
2. Bright Osayi-Samuel
3. Tyronne Ebuehi
4. Jamilu Collins
5. Zaidu Sanusi
6. Bruno Onyemaechi
7. William Troost-Ekong
8. Semi Ajayi
9. Calvin Bassey
10. Kenneth Omeruo
11. Kevin Akpoguma
12. Chidozie Awaziem
13. Jordan Torunarigha
Midfielders
1. Wilfred Ndidi
2. Frank Onyeka
3. Joe Aribo
4. Alex Iwobi
5. Alhassan Yusuf
6. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
7. Raphael Onyedika Nwadike
8. Kelechi Nwakali
Attackers
1. Victor Osimhen
2. Victor Boniface
3. Terem Moffi
4. Umar Sadiq
5. Ahmed Musa
6. Paul Onuachu
7. Cyriel Dessers
8. Ademola Lookman
9. Nathan Tella
10. Moses Simon
11. Emmanuel Dennis
12. Samuel Chukwueze
13. Kelechi Iheanacho
46 Comments
Where are they getting their fake 27 man final list. The fear of ownsports fake news is the beginning of wisdom
This is the worst list I hy ever seen. I never envisaged NFF accepting such a horrible list.
What is worse about this. Which player you get again
SUPER EAGLE CAN WIN NEXT AFCON BASE ON IF COACH PASEIRO CHOOSE PLAYERS BASED ON MERIT AND LEAVE OUT IRREGULAR, INCONSISTENT, BENCHWARMER PLAYERS OUT OF THE TEAM. He should not pick players base on EGO, SENIORITY OR EXPERIENCE(without fitness).
COMPLY WITH THIS DIRECTIONS, then winning AFCON 2024 IS GUARANTEE.
Another advice for PASEIRO is that, as super eagle has a lot of good forwards presently, as a technical man, there should an ALTERNATIVE POSITION CONVERSION. FOR Example:
** AKPOM can be converted as attacking midfielder OR supporting striker
** DESSERS can be converted as 7, 8, 11
** MOFFI, ORBAN, BONIFACE can play anywhere at the front as 7, 8, 9, 11
**
AND LASTLY, THERE ARE SOME OLD INCONSISTENT PLAYERS THAT NEEDED TO DROP OUT OF THE TEAM DUE TO LACK OF FORM/INJURY (E.G. Benzena, Aguero were dropped out of world cup cup due to injury that will last for ONE WEEK period)
Orban is not even listed. Why ? What has Orban got to do to merit a call to play for Nigeria? Million of Nigerians are demanding answers right now.
Orban is going through Nationality problem between Togo and Nigeria
Leon Balogun has played his way back to first team reckoning at Glasgow Rangers,for that you would envisage such a hugely talented defender to be part of this tournament.
Honestly the super eagles haven’t got a better defender like Balogun.
I am disappointed he won’t be going to the nations cup,he’s a very patriotic footballer beside that he looks very serene and untroubled on the ball.
Quality aplenty!
@ Greenturf: Absolutely spot on. If Ahmed Musa was included based on his experience and leadership, why not Balogun who in my opinion deserves to be in there based on his experience, leadership qualities and patriotism. Besides, he has lately played himself into reckoning at Rangers. I really feel sad not seeing this great Super Eagles servant bow out gracefully.
Chuba Akpom should have been included… Fisayo has not done enough and Aribo is waste of space, can’t play African football. How do you not include Balogun and It Ifeanyi Matthew, still the same deadweights like Aribo in midfield. So it is Ahmed Musa that is going to win us Nations Cup now? I thought we have seen the last of Ekong… How does a guy playing and doing well for Ajax Amsterdam not get into Nigeria squad. We need two like for like players in each squad of place and Iheanacho and Akpom should be on that flight to Abidjan. Fans should not expect magic from this team… If we make quarter finals we try. Chuba Akpom, Iheanacho and Osimhen are the only natural players with instincts for goals when games become complicated for Super Eagles… We lack midfielders Akpom should be going as an attacking midfielder cum support striker. You bring back Musa and Ekong but left Balogun because he voiced his frustration that they are being owed bonuses.
How many games has this Akpom played for the Eagles that you rate him so highly?
I did not even noticed Emmanuel Dennis… Who is inviting such a donkey ahead of Chuba Akpom? Balogun and Akpom should be going to Abidjan… I see humiliation awaiting us in Cote d’Ivoire. Quote me…
Emmanuel Dennis ahead of Akpom is criminal!I read on another sports website some influencial figures within the football house forced Ekong and Musa on the gaffer.
We’re in trouble!
JimmyBall don’t be pessimist, I think this an ideal preliminary squad of Super Eagles for the next AFCON. In Cote De’ Ivore next january 2024; with excellent prepration,changing on Peseiro style of play , that means he must play a Nigerian style( short and quick passes, playing through balls, playing crosses kicks on the ground or highs, pressing on the competitor with offensive play, play with 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 thoes formations SE can play with them, so if Peseiro change his vertical and long ball style if playing to a Nigerian style , he will perform so much on this tournament.
Nah,tough the gaffer plays only one style and we all know it.
Let’s just hope for the best.
Tbh, I was shocked seeing Dennis on the list. Like to do what exactly? To cause disharmony in the team with his oversized ego?
And Balogun, since we retired the Oyinbo wall, we’ve been having problems with the backline. Despite his lack of speed, Balogun is experienced and measured on the ball and gives assurance at the backline.
Happy to see Dessers, Onuachu, and Nwakali back in the fold. Hopefully Dessers in particualr makes the final 27. I was hoping I’d also see Olisah Ndah and the Igho Ogbu too.
This is the worst list I have ever seen. I never envisaged NFF accepting such a horrible list.
Where is Balogun of Rangers? Where’s Akor of Montpellier? Where’s Chidera Ejuke of Antwerp? Where’s Igur Ogbu? Etc
Where’s Igor Ogbu of Slavia in Czech? Where’s Akor Adams of Montpellier? Where’s Balogun of Rangers? Where’s Chidera Ejuke of Antwerp? And many others?
Akpoms and ifeanyi Mathew are very eligible to be in the squad… what’s wrong with this Peseiro sef???? This Mumu is getting on my nerves…get some fantastic ballers in the middle and stop playing with mediocre players…we have dem plenty. Please, stop this impending failure… choose correctly.
Then they ur bedroom they sleep, so you want the coach to invite the entire Nigeria soccer players right? Aside Dennis I think all the rest players deserve there spot, all
Coaches sticks to the players they’ve work with,.
Really everybody cannot be called.
Well a case for balogun. He is in form. Though had a horrible afcon the last time he was there.
A case for chuba akpom? Maybe. But I have stopped singing the praise of these new players. We have had lots of them disappointing us.
Akor Adams? Forget it. Let him queue.
Chidera e juke? He is just getting back. He needs time to come back.
Ahmed Musa? Horrible decision again. He has nothing really to offer.
Truce ekong? Good decision. Good on current form. Experience is also there.
Emmanuel Dennis? Who included him? Well as a training material anyway. He is not going to afcon. Very useless player.
My problem here are not the attackers. We know the attackers that will go.
I am happy to see nwakali and Yusuf in the midfield. I hope they will be at afcon.
We can easily pick out the 27 from this list.
I forgot this. Dessers? Great decision. S great goal scorer and s fighter on the pitch. I believe he can lead the line if Oshimen is not available.
Note: moffi is injured!
I think the Togolese have a point in Gift Orban.I watched a documentary on Europa Conference League where he was interviewed.He spoke in French throughout! I think he also registered in Europe with a Togolese passport at the clubs because he was never referred to as a Nigerian .His situation is like that of Adebayor.He has used Togo to rise to the top and now want to dump them for Nigeria as the SE is a better brand than the hawks of Togo.
he has never played for Togo and his father is from Benue. He has a winnable case. Togo wan chance am
I give this list an 80% pass mark. A good list painfully only missing out Balogun, which we all know has to do with his speaking out and also, accomodating an already broken Uzoho except he plays from the bench.
Akpom only has himself to blame, for he took too long to accept playing for Nigeria. He was even in the frame long before IWOBI. While IWOBI jumped immediately at the opportunity, Akpom was dragging foot, waiting for England. But now accepting when SE have become loaded with options.I like him but won’t feel bad for him. Tomorrow Eze will come when SE will be brimming with quality attacking midfielders and will expect fans to fight his course.
People can say whatever they like about Aribo. He remains a quality addition, very versatile and has goals in him. All Aribo haters will eat some humble pie after SE would have gone to AFCON and return victorious. Save this page and come back then.
As for Ogbu, a top top defender, to whom I have always been a fan, my previous post here to bear me witness, I can understand why Peseiro has left him out even when that hurts me dearly. Peseiro prefers defenders that are very quick in moving balls forward but Ogbu is very much the type that balances things up in the rear and gradually build up play, a style that gives solidity to a team,one that contrast with Peseiro style and my biggest fear for his system. Ogbu to me is similar to Ekong and late big boss Keshi but I will say a better version to Ekong in terms of boldness and ruggedness. But maybe Ekong got the nod because of experience sake and leadership.
13 players from this list won’t make it to AFCON, so I’m sure the GK department will be trim to 3, Dennis won’t make it too.
Yeah @ Femi. I kinda have this feeling one of Ekong or Musa will eventually be dropped.
Great comment Glory. I need not say more, you hit the nail on the head. Thumbs up brotherman.
Thanks brodaman Deo. But if I must honestly confess a selfish crave, I am not too happy with Ogbu in paticularly not being in this team. Anyway I continue to believe in this team. There is that old pattern showing itd face again. A pattern that our national teams follow to eventually surprise and shut the mouth of critics. I learnt to keep quiet and trust all our national teams irrespective of preparatory performances after late Keshi won the AFCON.
Make una forget Akpom, he is a Striker and the team is already packed with more than enough strikers.
What the team lacks is attacking midfielders or creative players.
Taking 4 GK is a wast, they should use that for an attacking midfielder. This coach wan kill Iwobi shey. the midfield is full of defensive midfielders.
I thank you all for your beautiful and wisdom encompassing comments. However, where is Dr. Drey. Please, let us hear your unbiased view of the list. We want to drink from your pool of knowledge.
My naija people if uzoho is the keeper there is no hope. So lower your expectations.
To God be the glory. I am very satisfied. Although Balogun is missing on this list but he has been there before, and impossible is nothing he can still make his way in before the kick of the Afcon.
But to be honest, the gaffer and the NFF are really tried for this list. Let’s honor Musa for this tournament. This is going to be his last Afcon for Nigeria. He deserves that.
I am expecting Nwabali, Dessers Adeleye, and Nwakali to make the final list. This is where the tricks will set in. I am watching the gaffer and the NFF very closely. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
So why is Dennis there and Balogun not? What happened to Okoye? No selection is perfect.
alhassan yusuf should be in the final cut, he may not have played for the senior team before but he certainly has something to offer, with his work-rate, tackles, ability to pick a pass and score the occasional goal. leon balogun should have also been included but he gets injured a lot and i feel that he has played his best football at international level. we are looking for the next generation of defenders for the national team and he is about 35 if im correct, that igho guy (that plays for slavia prague) should have been included. anyway not everyone can be included, the list will still be trimmed down to 27 and more favourites will be dropped,
Good list. I’m only devastated about the exclusion of Igoh Ogbu. It’s criminal not to have Ogbu on a Nigerian 40 man list to fight for an AFCON shirt. Other than that the rest are ok and let us VAMOS ARRIBBA SUPEREAGLES!!! Omo9ja and co make una gbaradi for Vawulence O!
Same garbage-full comments…Jimmyball leading his army as usual. Orban, akor….blabla. Of course the coach should invite your entire family members, and start a whole football academy, 2 months to the tournament. Oro were… Except Balogun, there’s no other name that should have been on the list. However, I’m very sure there is a quotient reason behind his omission, because it’s a common sense the guy could still have it in him. Y’all fancy yourself as a coach… thinking you are better that the actual people on the job. I would question Dennis inclusion on the list, but then, he’s been around the team for a while and he surely knows whats expected than bringing a completely new player. You lot need to learn to be quiet when you don’t have something reasonable to write. Coaches always have their preferences and that’s okay….that’s why Maguire is always ahead of Tomori and the likes, surely not based on their club forms. Is Maguire paying Southgate? I’m sure you will say no.
You don’t tell people to be quiet or call their posts garbage!Common man show some repect,of course it’s withing their rights as fans to make a contribution to the success of their team.Whether it makes sense or not to you contributions nonetheless!
Who is this piece of shit calling someone names and telling forum members to be quiet. If you don’t have anything sensible to offer just pass. We go just give you wotowoto. Stupid imbecile.
Balogun on that list is like returning the team’s lost spine. He’s the most intelligent defender we’ve got after Uche Okechukwu in recent years. I can’t be tired of watching Balogun. His timing and that ability to read the game and organize the defense make him the best in that position as things stand now. So happy he’s back now. I’ve been watching Rangers of late and believe me, the last 5 matches I’ve watched him play, he was super awesome especially against Aberdeen. Why leave him out of this squad? That Nigerian defence has no leadership. In fact, aside Uzoho who hasn’t done so well of late, that defence looks extremely weak especially at the centre back. They need the leadership of someone like Balogun. Combining him with a player like Igho, would have done that team a lot of good. But then what do we do? Our guys in Abuja always know better.
@Papafem. I concur with you that Balogun would have brought that much needed serenity to our leaky defence. No one among the listed defenders in my view is better than him at this level. He is fit as a fiddle at his age. In Italian Azurri , his inclusion would have be a no brainer.
Peseiro and the NFF should be questioned on the inclusion of Emmanuel Dennis. It’s a total waste of space, to be honest. Where is he even playing now, if I must ask? How many games has he played this season? What has he really done this term to merit a place in an AFCON team? Oh, so he now wants to go to AFCON after openly choosing his club over the SEs in the last edition? This is how someone included Onazi in the list for the last AFCON. Who are those at the NFF perpetrating this evil cos I know this can’t be Peseiro’s decision. He hasn’t even played a single match under the man’s watch. They left out Akor and Akpom and added to the list. In fact players like Olayinka and Joshua Maja (without his injury) deserve to be on the list quiet better than Dennis. May God deliver us from this cabal.
@Dee Favre and @Edoman.I think on Orban, the NFF is being very careful to avoid a Fifa ban on themselves or the player until the issues around him are completely sorted.The NFF merely acknowledged lots of issues around him but never mention the issues publicly.You see, I am from same area as him in Venue, but we could not trace his famiy like Amokachie, Onaji Ogenyi,Anthony Ujah etc obviously because he left to Togo when he was a baby and is being caught up in a feud involving his parents.For all that is happening, his dad and siblings never came out publicly to support or defend him from the Togo FA.
He grew up in Togo, he played through the ranks in Togo, left from Togo to Europe obviously on a Togolese passport.We suspect he is even bearing his mother’s surname on the passport.He even does his interviews in Europe in French.
When he was invited to the SE, he did not make his debut for Nigeria not because he was injured but because the Togolese FA wrote the NFF that he is Togolese with compelling evidences and that he should not play.For the NFF to oblige them Means there is substance in their claims.
He has Nigerian blood no doubts but he must extricate himself from whatever agreements he has with the Togolese or simply play for them. Don’t blame the Togolese please, the see this kind of star players once in a while.This is the first since Adebayor Sheyi retired.They will not let go easily.Only Fifa will resolve the issues around him
Akpom guy and ifeanyi Mathew have been short changed! Igho ogbu was a policeman against As roma that mouriho called him out for praise! Central defence and midfield is Nigeria biggest problem, so those aforementioned players will surely be a disastrous miss to Nigeria. Clueless coach and dump NFF OFFICIALS. THEY MUST FIRSTLY DELETE THAT RECALCITRANT DENISE EMMANUEL FOR IFEANYI MATHEW! VERY USELESS COACH AND OUT OF DEPTH NFF.
People from third world countries are naturally tight and conservative in spending money.They would rather receive than give.
So when someone is generous they become popular,normally generosity in this part of the world is in short supply.People tends to hold tight than spend,so if you are lavish you tend to get support moreso if you’re magnanimous to those in power who make decisions.
Musa’s quest for giving has endeared him to people who matters in the country.
Giving has power,if you’re kind to people it brings good fortunes and in many ways.I’m sure the likes of Eguavoen and other NFF bigwigs have gotten a share of Musa’s kindness.
Nigeria don’t have Coach or Football administration, I don’t think there’s any need to comment on the list because it will only be a waste of time and energy. NFF and a few people will continue to decide the faith of the nation with their personal interest while football fans suffers. The one who is sharing salary with the coach should also be included in the team list so that we can all celebrate.
If not that a woman cannot play in Men’s team, I would just say they should draft Nnadozie to the Eagles straight away. She is better than all those Otondo,basket, men goalie like Uzoho.