Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has picked Captain William Ekong, regulars Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Stanley Nwabali in a provisional list of 55 players for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi, midfielders Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon Moses and Chidera Ejuke are also listed.
The list also has Nigeria Premier Football League stars Abdulrasheed Shehu, Ebenezer Harcourt, Ekeson Okorie, Chisom Orji and Adekunle Adeleke.
A final list of 28 players will be drawn from the provisional list in a matter of days.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at a training camp in Egypt on Wednesday, 10th December.
The team is expected to play a couple of friendly matches before the tournament begins on Sunday, 21st December.
Read Also:15 Nigerian Football Stars Who Rose From FIFA U-20 World Cup To Super Eagles Greatness
Nigeria is in Group C of the tournament alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
Super Eagles Full List
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy); Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos);
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors);
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK, Turkey)
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow, Scotland); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United); Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves); Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium); Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961 (Croatia); Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK, Austria)
23 Comments
This is serious.
Not to worry. I think Chelle knows what he’s doing. You see that Peter Agba na Agba! He’s a very good attacking midfielder who has ability to influence games from the midfield. He also has the ability to score from long range.
I guess transaction is still in progress. This list is a confirmation doc. to some undeserving players that first installment went theough.
The next list will reveal the highest bidders amongst the underperformers at clubs or national teams to be recycled or imposed on the gaffer.
Serious federation run by competent personalities have already submitted their final list. The nff wanna cashout.
We have seen this played out before with Lambadiq and other scenerio.
Thank God Tom Dele Bashiru made the list. He should be ahead of Iwobi in first eleven if merit counts
Hahahaha….”If merit counts”. LMAOooo
So on what merit should TDB currently make a SE 1st 11 ahead of Alex Iwobi…???
Please kindly explain to us.
Iwobi a premier league star!Dropped for Tom Dele-Bashiru who struggled at Watford,benched for most part of the season before doing a runner to Turkey to bench Iwobi who is having a great season in the premiership are you joking?
I love Tom Dele-Bashiru greatly but injuries have eroded his creativity, leading to his conversation to a defensive midfielder.
My problem is not the league he plays but the fact that we already have plentiful centre/defensive midfielders.
At a time Super Eagles fans are yearning for more offensive midfielders, it is actually Tom’s brother, Fisayo, who more fits the bill.
Your mild field is always narrow, and full of same old people.
We are tired of iwobi and co, inject more fresh legs for that middle.
We need midfielder that can pass accurately, both with ground level and arial ball.
We need milddle player that shoot, score from free kick and accurate conner ball taker.
Same with our strikers, i only see one striker here and which is osimeh. Others are just there for nothing.
I had mentioned Peter Agba as a player that impressed me a few weeks back. Also excited to see striker Rafiu Durosinmi. About time he got a call up.
Midfield can’t be ignored if you want success in football. Out of all these midfielders invited, we should be able to get some good options for the big battles ahead.
But what about midfielders Anthony Dennis and Ogbelu? I heard Chelle was interested in these two. And Gift Orban? Is there something we dont know that is prevent his invite?
Preparation for the Afcon is heating up.
Let’s hope NFF ONIRANU will not sabotage this one as well!
You are absolutely correct. Peter Agba na baller. I’ve watched some highlights. To be honest our midfield has always been the problem.
To be honest, the team selection process often involves both successes and disappointments. I understand that not all the players I had initially proposed would make the final 55-man roster. While I had expected Orban, Denis, Daga, and Tochukwu Michael to be included, I was pleased to see the inclusion of Otele, Alebiosu, Durosimi, and Onuachu as viable alternatives.
More importantly, this process has provided me with the opportunity to evaluate some new players that I was previously unfamiliar with, such as Peter Agba. Based on the highlights, Agba appears to be a talented attacking midfielder who plays for Maccabi Haifa. He seems to possess excellent left-foot technique and the ability to score from long range, which could be a valuable asset to the team.
While there are always challenges in building a successful team, I believe this process has allowed for a well-rounded team selection that takes into account both established players and promising new talents.
Yes, hr is a player that will hopefully add some value to the resm.
Chelle and the NFF need bravery of heart and boldness in ideas and in squad selection.
Nigeria still has effective football running through her veins. Several of those players in the periphery of this 55-man list, if what we saw in Benjamin Fredrick is anything to go by, potentially have it in them to do a yeoman’s job when called upon.
But, do you think they can be called upon?
Benjamin was discovered by mistake and only forced his way into the team when Ekong’s faults, in a four-man defence, were too glaring, too damaging to be ignored.
In our midfield, I think we need players with the lungs of Fredrick, the legs of Fredrick, the exhuberance of Fredrick, the drive of Fredrick. Also, down our flanks, we need speed, penetration and tenacity, the sort Moses Simon of 2016 to 2018 produced alongside his then-partner-in-crime Victor Moses.
Does anyone remember how Sunday Mba collected the ball from the centre circle, driving neck deep into the Ivorian box 18 before riffling home a scortcher from range that edged Nigeria into the semi-final of Afcon 2013?
When have we last seen a midfielder take matters into their own hands from Nigeria’s midfield like that? Truth be told, some of those players in this list can do a similar job. Several others, based in North Africa and Eastern Europe, who are not on this list, can equally produce moments of magic.
Will Chelle be bold enough to drop some established players for these deceptive greenhorns who possess a sharper edge than the calibre of leagues they play suggest?
At the end of the day, I suspect we will see largely familiar faces. But what Chelle and the NFF must realise is this: if they continue to select the same players for the same positions, they will achieve the same underwhelming outcomes, as, clearly, some of these players are experiencing “diminishing returns” whilst others are miscast in positions that minimise their impact.
23 attackers out of 49 outfield players means they are nearly half of the team already.
That means, Chelle might repeat the same insanity again that had plagued eagles for a decade: tiny midfield.
CAF say they will only cater to 23 players. NFF and Chelle want to go for 28.
Knowing the NFF that I know, home based slots will cover the remainder.
It’s practically the same thing.
More so, the stakes have been “lowered” for the gaffer — semi finals.
It’s an opportunity missed.
There should be a pact that is governing the affairs of eagles to have tiny middle from time immemorial.
While I wish Chelle to succeed, if he goes with the status quo, he will be out of eagles hair by January ending for another journeyman.
Agree with you
You guys should forget the AFCON. Chelle will not inject any new players to displace some tired legs in the team. He will still stick with the same crappy players that we exhibit
Please we don’t need this super eagles to win nation cup. I prefer to watch new players new blood hunger for winning and play Nigerian talent football front of any team on this world.
Please change players based on their performance not where they play football.
Alex iwobe need to rest allow new winning hunger middfield players. I need strong Middle field players with shooting skills and smart final pass to attackers. Now players in the 11 lineup not playing with 100% of his performance must set on bench or removed from finally list
At this point, I feel the urgent need to set up a GO FUND ME for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wandering in the wilderness.
Defeat after defeat.
Please kindly donate points to this football club, so they can vacate the Premier league basement. Na beg we dey beg una.
No amount is too small. Don’t forget that our brother Tolu is over there.
Please donate today!
I hope Tolu is not shipped back. He’s not really made an impact there, and not sure he’s scored an EPL goal yet. Same situation as Uche at Crystal Palace. Of the latest EPL arrivals, only Chukwueze has been delivering.
As they say in local parlance, “EPL na your mate…?”
That’s why I laugh when one fake Coach(e) claims Tom Dele Bashiru should make a SE starting XI on merit ahead of Alex Iwobi.
EPL no be moimoi. Na person wey know, know. Heaven bless all Super Eagles players doing well in the EPL.
No need to recycle Turkey or Belgium stars but SE
GK.. Nwabali, Okoye, Adeleye/Anas
DF. Bassey, Semi, Zaidu, Ryan, Agu/Bright, Ogbu, Osayi, Awzziem
MF: Ndidi, Fisayo, Iwobi, Onyedika, Onyeka, Akinsamiro,
FWD: Osi, Lookman Akor, ,Simon, Ejuke, Chuck,, Tella, Durosinmi, Olusegun, and Tolu.
Emmanuel, Agba, Nwaiwu, and Tom can be tested in friendly matches.
*but SE flops..*