Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has made the bold decision to leave out star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman from the squad set to face Ghana in the upcoming Unity Cup. This decision was confirmed following the release of the official list of invited players by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday afternoon.
In addition to missing the Unity Cup, Osimhen and Lookman will also be absent from Nigeria’s friendly clash against Russia. Despite these omissions, the squad sees the return of notable players including goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Frank Onyeka, forward Kelechi Iheanacho, and team captain Ahmed Musa.
The squad also includes a number of standout players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Among them are Junior Harrison Nduka, who captains both Remo Stars and the CHAN-bound Super Eagles B team, along with Ifeanyi Onyebuchi and Collins Ugwueze from Enugu Rangers, Sodiq Ismail of Remo Stars, and Waliu Ojetoye from Ikorodu City.
Also called up are Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers), Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes), Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars), and Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United). These home-based talents will compete for places alongside more established internationals such as Moses Simon, Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, Tolu Arokodare, and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Captain Ahmed Musa is set to lead the team in the Unity Cup, which will run from May 26 to 31. The four-nation tournament includes Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Following the Unity Cup, Nigeria will travel to Russia for an international friendly on June 6 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. This encounter will mark the first-ever senior international meeting between Nigeria and Russia.
Coach Chelle has expressed that the tournament will serve as an important opportunity to test new players and tactical approaches. “This competition gives 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,” he said, referencing the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
