Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has left out star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman from Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming Unity Cup and an international friendly against Russia.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) released the squad list on Wednesday, confirming the exclusion of the high-profile attackers.
The reasons for their omission remain unclear, though it’s believed Chelle is using the games to experiment ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Notable Inclusions:
Ahmed Musa (Captain) returns to lead the squad.
Maduka Okoye, Frank Onyeka, and Kelechi Iheanacho are also back in the team.
Home-based players like Junior Harrison Nduka, Sodiq Ismail, and Sikiru Alimi have been called up, alongside several NPFL stars.
These local talents will compete with established internationals such as Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, and Cyriel Dessers for starting spots.
Fixtures:
Unity Cup (May 26–31): Nigeria will face Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Friendly vs Russia (June 6): The Super Eagles will take on Russia at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow—their first-ever senior meeting.
Coach Chelle emphasized the importance of these matches for tactical assessment:
> “This tournament will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the qualifiers in September and October.”
The selections reflect a balance of experience and experimentation as Nigeria looks to rebuild momentum on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
