AFCON 2025: Chelle Names 5 Misfiring Strikers in Super Eagles 54-Man List

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle’s decision to invite the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Sadiq Umar, Victor Boniface, Paul Onuachu and Terem Moffi into the AFCON 2025 provisional squad is questionable.

The squad is dominated by the familiar names who have featured for the team at the recently unsuccessful playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.

Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon.

Others include Akor Adams, Tolu Arokodare, Frank Onyeka, Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong and Zaidu Sanusi.

The notable absence from the squad is Benjamin Fredrick, the 20-year-old defender who was one of the silver linings throughout Nigeria’s disappointing World Cup qualifiers.

Fredrick suffered an injury while playing for Denders FC and will be out till after AFCON.

Ola Aina is one of the surprise inclusions into the squad. The 29-year-old is currently out with a hamstring injury he sustained in September while playing for Nigeria against South Africa. He is expected to be out for over three months.

Chelle also named Victor Boniface, Kelechi Iheanacho, Paul Onuachu, Awoniyi Taiwo, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Francis Uzoho.

Ebenezer Akinsanmiro was also included in the squad and will be hoping for his first-ever Super Eagles call-up.

The list also has Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) 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 the coming days.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at a training camp in Egypt on December 10. The team is expected to play a couple of friendly matches before the tournament begins on December 21.

The Eagles are in Group C of the tournament alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

54 PLAYERS IN PROVISIONAL LIST OF NIGERIA FOR 35TH AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS MOROCCO 2025

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)