TheCable

Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, has included Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong in his 25-player list for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Apart from the inclusion of Musa and Ekong, Peseiro kept faith in the usual lineup of players he had called for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series earlier this year.

Musa has not played for the Super Eagles since the game against Guinea-Bissau in March 2023, while Ekong’s last match was against Portugal in November 2022. However, both players will feature for the team at the 34th AFCON scheduled to hold in Ivory Coast.

Peseiro’s final AFCON squad includes three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards.

Earlier this month, the Portuguese had released a 40-player provisional squad for the tournament.

Notable players listed in the initial squad but omitted from the final team include Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, and Emmanuel Dennis.

Ojo Olorunleke of Enyimba is the only home-based player in the team, as Bendel Insurance’s Amas Obasogie and Christian Nwoke of Sporting Lagos failed to make the cut.

Victor Osimhen, newly crowned African footballer of the year, was included alongside red-hot Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze.

Wilfred Ndidi also made the list alongside Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo.

The Super Eagles will camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for a one-week training camp before flying back to Lagos on January 9 and proceeding to Ivory Coast a day later.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria will take on Equatorial Guinea in their opening game before facing Ivory Coast and rounding off the group stage with the Guinea-Bissau tie.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)