Coach Eric Chelle has left out Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho from the Super Eagles final squad for must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
The inclusion of both players on the 39-man provisional squad was widely criticized.
Ahmed Musa was last involved with the national team at last year’s delayed 2023 AFCON.
Iheanacho has struggled to hit top form leading to Spanish club Sevilla loaning him out to the English second-tier league with Middlesbrough.
Otherwise, the new Super Eagles coach has gone with the core of the team who qualified for the 2025 AFCON in November with only four players yet to be capped by the full international team, namely Tolu Arokodare of Belgian club Genk, goalkeeper Kayode Bankole of Remo Stars, Papa Daniel of Niger Tornadoes and Slavia Praha defender Igho Ogbu.
LIST OF 23 SUPER EAGLES FOR RWANDA, ZIMBABWE GAMES
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium)
