Former Super Eagles star Ben Iroha believes Nigeria has the depth, quality, and experience needed to compete for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title — as long as the right decisions are made.

Speaking from his base in Texas, the 1994 AFCON champion reacted to the 54-man provisional squad released by Head Coach Eric Sekou Chelle, describing it as a strong foundation for a title-winning team.

“The Talent And Quality Are There” — Iroha

Although he emphasized that the real test comes when the list is trimmed to 23 players, Iroha said the current roster reflects Nigeria’s impressive global football presence.

“Nigeria is very rich in talent production. Apart from one or two NPFL players, the rest are in top leagues across Europe. The talent, quality and experience are there,”
Iroha told Completesports.com.

He noted that the squad’s strength lies not just in big names, but in the blend of competition, versatility, and international exposure among the players.

Hard Work And Proper Planning Will Decide Everything

According to Iroha, Nigeria’s path to a fourth AFCON crown depends on more than raw ability.

He stressed the importance of:

• Hard work

• Organisation

• Tactical discipline

• Proper preparation

“With proper preparation and the right selection, this team has what it takes to deliver the AFCON title in Morocco.”

Iroha also acknowledged that Nigerian fans will accept nothing less than the trophy, especially after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

He believes the renewed energy shown late in the qualifiers is a sign of what the team can achieve if they maintain — or surpass — that level at AFCON.

Nigeria Chasing A Fourth AFCON Title

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on 21 December 2025 in Morocco, with the final set for 18 January 2026.

Nigeria’s three previous AFCON triumphs came in:

• 1980

• 1994

• 2013

With expectations sky-high and a hungry squad available, Coach Eric Chelle will be aiming to write his name in history by guiding the Super Eagles to AFCON glory once again.

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Ola Aina Steps Into AFCON With Style: Introducing The Eco-Friendly ‘Mr Lulu’ Boots

Nigerian international and Nottingham Forest defender, Ola Aina, has taken his love for creativity and sustainability to the pitch with the unveiling of his first-ever custom football boots — the eco-friendly ‘Mr Lulu’ edition.

What started as admiration for a sustainable sports brand has now evolved into a bold creative statement that blends football, culture, and personality.

From Inspiration To Innovation: Aina’s Creative Journey With Sokito

Aina’s connection with Sokito, the environmentally conscious football brand, began during the last AFCON tournament. He first noticed Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong wearing Sokito’s famous Scudetta model — and curiosity turned into inspiration.

Fast-forward 18 months, that spark has transformed into a unique creative partnership. The result? The beautifully crafted and culturally rooted boot named ‘Mr Lulu’, a personal nickname Aina holds dear.

Meet The ‘Mr Lulu’ Boots: Nigerian Culture Woven Into Every Detail

The new boots stand out with a refreshing light green colourway, subtly echoing classic Super Eagles kits and Nigeria’s rich visual heritage.

Aina went beyond simple design — he added hand-drawn illustrations, cultural patterns, and personalized artistic touches that give the boots their own personality.

Key Features Of The ‘Mr Lulu’ Edition

• Custom ‘Mr Lulu’ logo on the insole and outer side

• Hand-sketched wings, leaves, and motifs inspired by Nigerian art

• Gold-outlined African continent on the instep

• Fully eco-friendly materials thanks to Sokito’s sustainability mission

These boots are more than footwear — they are a story of identity, culture, and creativity.

AFCON 2025: Aina’s Big Stage Debut For The Mr Lulu Boots

Although Aina was forced off early due to injury against South Africa, fans are hopeful he will make a strong comeback and officially debut the Mr Lulu boots at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

He was listed among the 54 Super Eagles players named by head coach Eric Chelle ahead of the tournament, and preparations are already underway.

The Super Eagles squad will land in their training camp in Egypt on December 10th, where they will play a series of friendly matches, including a high-profile clash:

Nigeria vs Egypt — AFCON Build-Up Match

• Venue: To Be Announced

• Date: Sunday, December 21st

• Time: To Be Announced

Nigeria will compete in Group C, facing Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda in a highly competitive group stage.

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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)