Nigeria name 25-player squad for AFCON 2023; Osimhen to lead the Super Eagles

Nigeria have won three AFCON titles

Nigeria‘s manager Peseiro has named a 25-player squad for the AFCON 2023 starting next month in Ivory Coast.

Victor Osimhen will lead his side in the tournament and aim to lift their third African continent title. The Napoli striker missed the 2021 tournament due to injury and Covid 19. He was named as the African Footballer of the Year 2023.

Victor Boniface, who has 10 goals in 16 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen this season, and AC Milan‘s Samuel Chukwueze are among eight forwards named.

Ahmed Musa, Nigeria’s most capped player, returns despite some saying his best days with the Super Eagles are long gone.

Portuguese coach Peseiro could have named a maximum of 27 players by the deadline of 3 January, but decided to leave out further attacking talent as Nice’s Terem Moffi, Trabzonspor’s Paul Onuachu and Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers all failed to make the cut.

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Nigeria, who last won the Afcon title in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi, have been drawn in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria squad for AFCON 2023

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa), Francis Uzoho (Omonia, Cyprus), Leke Ojo (Enyimba, Nigeria)

Defenders: William Troost-Ekong (PAOK, Greece), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest, England), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto, Portugal), Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista, Portugal), Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England), Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England), Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista, Portugal), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa, Turkey)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England), Raphael Onyedika (Club Bruges, Belgium), Joe Aribo (Southampton, England), Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England), Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England)

Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England), Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy), Moses Simon (Nantes, France), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy), Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Italy), Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor, Turkey), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain)

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