According to the official squads for the U20 World Cup released by FIFA, AC Milan U19 midfielder Victor Eletu will wear the No 10 shirt made famous by the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona in this competition, while Daniel Daga is the team’s youngest player at 16.
Messi was MVP of the 2005 U20 World Cup in the Netherlands when Argentina beat the Flying Eagles in the final, while Maradona burst on to the global scene at the 1979 edition of the competition.
The final 21-man squad has three goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and five forwards.
Both Botev Plodiv (Emmanuel Umeh, Tochukwu Nnadi) and Mavlon FC (Otoblo John Audu, Salim Fago) have two players each on the final rooster.
Daga is the youngest Flying Eagles as he will only 17 next January, while the oldest is midfielder Nnadi, who will be 20 on June 30.
Five foreign-based pros made the final cut – Nnadi, Umeh (Plodiv/BULGARIA), Eletu (Milan/ITALY), Abel Ogwuche (Trelleborgs/SWEDEN) and Ibrahim Mohammed (FC Cartagena/SPAIN).
Giant goalkeeper Nathaniel Nwosu is the tallest Nigerian player registered as he stands 1.89 metres tall, while the shortest is Nasarawa United attacking midfielder Joshua John.
OFFICIAL: Nigeria’s Final squad to 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup with jersey numbers, clubs
Goalkeepers: Chijioke Aniagboso 21 (Giant Brillars), Nathaniel Nwosu 1 (Water FC), Otoblo John Audu 16 (Mavlon FC)
Defenders: Daniel Bemeyi 6 (Yum Yum FC), Benjamin Fredrick 12 (Simoiben), Solomon Agbalaka 3 (Broad City FC), Augustine Njoku 2 (Abia Warriors), Abel Ogwuche 5 (Trelleborgs/SWEDEN), Israel Domingo 13 (FC Sports)
Midfielders: Samson Lawal 18 (Pro Success FA), Daniel Daga 4 (Dakkada FC), Tochukwu Nnadi 8 (Botev Plodiv/BULGARIA), Victor Eletu 10 (AC Milan/ITALY), Joshua John 20 (Nasarawa United), Ibrahim Abdullahi 14 (Samba FC)
Forwards: Ibrahim Mohammed ‘Beji’ 11 (FC Cartagena/SPAIN), Jude Sunday 15 (Real Sapphire), Lawal Salim Fago 9 (Mavlon FC), Emmanuel Umeh 19 (Botev Plodiv/BULGARIA), Haliru Sarki 7 (Mahanaim), Kehinde Ibrahim 17 (36 Lion FC)