Finidi George has got off to a good start as new Super Eagles coach after he named a squad of players capable of beating both South Africa and Benin to get their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign back on track.
As expected, the bulk of the squad from the 2023 AFCON in February made the squad because as they say, you don’t change a winning team.
The recall of Maduka Okoye, who has established himself as No 1 goalkeeper of Italian Serie A club Udinese was apt and he will give Stanley Nwabali the competition he needs after his heroics at the AFCON.
Current form has been a major consideration in this selection.
Paul Onuachu has been rewarded for his red-hot form at Turkish club Trabzonspor – 14 league goals and counting – and he is a different type of striker from Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface and Terem Moffi.
Unlike previous Eagles squads, the midfield now has more bodies with the return from injury of Wilfred Ndidi, while Raphael Onyedika will get another chance to translate at this level the recent form he has shown at Belgian team Club Brugge.
The squad has been further strengthened by the return of Leicester City midfielder Ndidi and Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, who both did not feature at the Africa Cup due to injury.
However, the few concerns in the squad would be the match fitness of West Bromwich Albion defender Semi Ajayi, who was an ever-present at the AFCON, but has since lost his place at his English club; and Kelechi Iheanacho, who has also not seen action at his English club lately.
An explanation also has to be made on the exclusion of Ola Aina, by far the Super Eagles best wing back at the AFCON.
But a quick check showed that he was not listed by Nottingham Forest for their final Premier League game at Burnley.
Now, it is for these quality players to bring their club form to these qualifiers, Finidi to get his tactics right so that both South Africa and Benin will feel the full might of the three-time African champions.
The Full Squad:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United/RSA), Maduka Okoye (Udinese/ITA), Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista/POR), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce/TUR), Sadiq Ismael (Remo Stars FC), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Calvin Bassey (Fulham/ENG), Benjamin Tanimu (Ihefu SC/TAN)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge/BEL), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (Royal Antwerp/BEL), Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG), Alex Iwobi (Fulham/ENG), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor/TUR)
Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli/ITA), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan/ITA), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor/TUR), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC/ITA), Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Terem Moffi (OGC Nice/FRA)
