Nigeria Unveil AFCON Squad: Osimhen and Lookman Lead the Charge
Nigeria announces 28-man squad for AFCON 2025, featuring Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze.
Nigeria's coach Eric Chelle has included injured first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali...
Victor Osimhen, who plays for a Turkish club, was voted the outstanding African player in 2023, and Ademola Lookman from Atalanta succeeded him. This year, Morocco captain and defender Achraf Hakimi topped the poll. Nigeria has an abundance of talented forwards, with coach Eric Chelle selecting nine strikers for the squad. The team is rounded out with three goalkeepers, eight defenders, and eight midfielders.
A forward who did not make it, however, was Victor Boniface from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. Recent Wolverhampton Wanderers signing Tolu Arokodare also misses out.
Premier League club Fulham supply three of the squad - centre-back Calvin Bassey, midfielder Alex Iwobi, and on-loan striker Samuel Chukwueze.
Chukwueze, on loan from AC Milan with the Cottagers having an option to make the deal permanent, scored twice in a recent 5-4 loss to Manchester City.
Nigeria's coach Eric Chelle has included injured first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from South African Premiership side Chippa United in the squad for AFCON 2025. Nigeria has a rich football history, having won the AFCON three times, with their most recent victory being in 2013 when they defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final held in Johannesburg. Last year, they were runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast.
They will face fellow AFCON title contenders Egypt in a warm-up match in Cairo on December 16, then fly to Fes, the Moroccan city where they will play all their first round matches.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa Utd/RSA), Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars/TAN), Francis Uzoho (Omonia/CYP)
Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham/ENG), Semi Ajayi (Hull City/ENG), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City/ENG), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos/GRE), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes/FRA), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto/POR), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague/CZE), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers/ENG)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham/ENG), Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas/TUR), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge/BEL), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem/BEL), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio/ITA), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa/ITA), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias/ISR)
Forwards: Chidera Ejuke, Akor Adams (both Sevilla/ESP), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/ITA), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham/ENG), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray/TUR), Moses Simon (Paris FC/FRA), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor/TUR), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos/GRE), Salim Fago Lawal (Istra 1961/CRO)
The Super Eagles squad for #AFCON2025 is set.
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) December 11, 2025
Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and 26 others will fly the flag in Morocco under Eric Chelle.
Naija, let’s go again. 🦅🇳🇬#Naija4TheWin #LetsDoItAgain pic.twitter.com/eKR3IHOii6
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