Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, has exclusively told Completesports.com that the 10 home-based players included in Super Eagles Head Coach Eric Chelle’s squad for the recently concluded Unity Cup Tournament at the Brentford Stadium, West London, proved to be “good ambassadors of the NPFL”.
Elegbeleye spoke to Completesports.com on Sunday morning against the backdrop of the NPFL players’ inclusion and contribution to the Super Eagles’ title success in the four-nation tournament held in the United Kingdom.
“As organisers of the domestic league, our objective is to develop local content, and I’m happy with Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for looking inwards and selecting players from the league who were worthy of making the Super Eagles squad for the Unity Cup Tournament,” began the delighted NPFL boss.
Junior Harrison Nduka and Ismaila Sodiq (both of Remo Stars), Ifeanyi Onyebuchi of Rangers, and Waliu Ojetoye of Ikorodu City were the NPFL defenders that Coach Chelle took to London.
Also included were Saviour Isaac and Collins Ugwueze (both of Rangers), and Papa Daniel Mustapha of Niger Tornadoes as midfielders, while former Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa of Kano Pillars and Plateau United’s Adamu Abubakar were the NPFL strikers in Chelle’s squad.
Elegbeleye added: “The players proved to be good ambassadors of the NPFL. They demonstrated that the Nigerian League has quality players. Their performance will go a long way in challenging other players in the league to make hard work and discipline their watchwords, bearing in mind that someone somewhere – like Coach Chelle – is watching.
“Such performances can only open more doors for home-based players to break into the senior national team.”
Elegbeleye also praised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership for inspiring a new era of success for the national teams.
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“While we congratulate the Super Eagles for winning the Unity Cup Tournament in London, we must also bear in mind that only good leadership breeds success,” he said.
“The present leadership of the NFF deserves a thumbs up. Last year, the Super Eagles came close to winning the AFCON title in Ivory Coast, eventually finishing as silver medallists. This time, they have qualified for the 2025 AFCON, and who says they can’t return home with the trophy for the fourth time?
“The Flying Eagles have also qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals. Even with the 2026 World Cup, we are close to securing a ticket. It is a huge possibility that we can beat South Africa on their soil and qualify.
“These achievements wouldn’t have been possible without sound leadership from the NFF under Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau,” concluded Elegbeleye, who also serves as NFF Second Vice President.
By Sab Osuji
