The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday unveiled Super Eagles’ provisional squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Jose Peseiro included 41 players in the provisional squad.
Three home-based players; Ojo Olorunleke, Amas Obasogie and Christian Nwoke make the list.
Royal Antwerp midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf is named in the squad for the first team, while former Golden Eaglets captain Kelechi Nwakali is also listed.
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Peseiro is expected to prune down his list to 27 latest January 3, 2024.
The Super Eagles are drawn in Group A with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
The three-time champions will face Equatorial Guinea in their opening fixture at the Alhassane Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan on January 14.
The Eagles will take on the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in their second group game at the same venue four days later.
Their final group game is scheduled for the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium on January 22.
THE FULL 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
14 Comments
The squad is unbalanced with 13 attackers and only 8 midfielders. Most African teams have a more functional midfield than Super Eagles. Selection is worsened by prejudice – why an old Ahmed Musa whilst leaving out Orban? Orban is a proven scorer at international club level, only Osimhen has a better record.
The Eagles don’t score many goals. Don’t create many chances. The attack needs changes. The midfield has been outplayed and unproductive.
Not a very encouraging squad.
What a wasted opportunity!
Are these truly the best 41 players we have in the whole world? lol
Why bother yourself jimi, the best thing to do is adopt siddon look mode. It will do you and your heart good.
Pesiero is not doing well for subbing experience Leon Balogun, Chuba Akpom and Gift Orban from AFCON. Is not too late for Pesiero to include this players. Balogun should replace injured Moffi
@Elico; I absolutely agree with your analysis regarding Balogun. In my opinion, he’s the only player in that licky defence that can bring a measure of serenity to stabilise it at this level. Balogun ability to read games and calmness under pressure coupled with his experience would have been invaluable when we meet teams like Cotevoire.
Anyone who thinks we have a coach is dreaming.
I’m now fully convinced that we don’t have a Coach. What covenant has he entered with Uzoho and Miss? Leaving out the likes of Akpom, Balogun, and Orban.
It is a big sin to omit, by mistake, by Commision, or omission, Gift ORBAN in AFCON. Nigeria has no coach. I have braced myself to the likely possibility that Nigeria will not get out of the Group stage.
@Edoman just because Orban didn’t make the list you have braced yourself to the possiblity that we will not qualify. Just like me but mine is not because of his omission but the general attitude of our players. NFF is right for not inviting Orban , there is a nationality tussle between Nigeria and Togo . Oyo is claiming he has been registered as a Togolese player before he came into limelight, in view of this the best thing to do is just to leave him alone till he addresses his nationality issue.
Then have been following him since he came to limelight . Gift is not a team player and his too controversial. He is self centered just like Dennis. When he is not scoring is as if the whole world will crumble, blaming both the coach and the players for his poor performance . He wanted to leave Belgium by all cost , he believes playing for Super Eagles will give him the needed push. Have watched him against big clubs in conference league where he is always kept at bay. I don’t think he will bring anything spectacular . If players like teller, Akpom, Yussuf , Akor can not make the team then who is Gift to be there. Personally I believe the guy Dey use juju play ( just personal Opinion oooo)
God bless you! The chap appears to have attitude issues and he is not that good. Challenge is a lot of fans are just too sentimental. He will be bad for team chemistry, not that I am hopeful for the chances of the SE.
We have the most unintelligent coach at afcon. It took the uproar on uzoho performance before paying a visit to nwabali. Just look at the skeletal midfield he picked
Abah!!! respect is reciprocal, why will talk like this on a young lad? the guy is too good to be snub, he is better than many of our players you mentioned, that is an aguero and lautaro kind of player, not to be compared to that idiot called dennis, i expected orban to be called, i think balogun is probably paying for the sin he commited against fans by going to aploud our ghanians opponent after losing a world cup spot to a bitter rival, though our minister of diffense will be missed, but as for orban he deserves to be listed among even 23 man list any day any time, if this is how brazil handled their players, players like neymer, robinho, or gebriel jesus wouldnt be recognise at by now, what else do you expect from a 21 year old man, who have the best goal record in europe, i like orban confidents too, he believe positively in himself, unlike dennis who was draging for penalty to be in goal record for eagles, that name disgust me, it is dennis that can be said of using juju to get fake call up, pesero needs to be sacked, possibly before the Afcon, even players dont really respect him compare to rohr, in order not to pay him off he should be suspended for the criminal process he used in sicuring the supereagles job. Amunike is in the best position to take this job, amunike have afcon experience via tanzania, how can he call dennis and drop akpom and orban, its unbelivable, even holise Nda is better than tunarigha, akpom, and orban are supposed to take the place of ebuehi and dennis, without sentiments ebuehi is not needed because awaziem can cover well for aina and osayi is also there, what are we doing with all of them? rasheed should have been listed among the goalkeepers. all been said, its still not a bad squad in general, i just dont trust pesero to handle this team, i wish him all sucess, and i want to believe we will win the cup.
My guy Collins Id, the issue at hand in regards to Orban is the nationality question. Until that is taken care of, all of these epistles are irrelevant. He rightly should not be invited until there is clearance from CAF or FIFA
I felt the 40-man list has been compiled by the coach before Balogun start playing regularly for his club.
The Coach is a fraud and must leave I’m not expecting anything from a corrupt coach that least performs against average teams, and bound to always loose against top teams. I feel sad that SE will be disgraced and twitter will erupt even before the end of Afcon to shame Nigeria!!!