TheCable

George Finidi has named a 23-man squad for his first set of competitive games as the head coach of the Super Eagles.

The list was unveiled in a statement released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday.

Finidi kept faith in most of the players who won silver at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

Sixteen members of the impressive AFCON squad are included in the team that will face Benin Republic and South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which are scheduled for June.

Leading the squad list are Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Victor Boniface, along with Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi.

Maduka Okoye also returns after a lengthy hiatus from the team. He last played for the Eagles in the 1-0 loss to Tunisia in the second round of the AFCON held in Cameroon in 2022. The Udinese goalkeeper will join Stanley Nwabali and Ojo Olorunleke in the squad.

Remo Stars’ Sadiq Ismael gets his first call-up as the only out-field home-based player in the team.

Nigeria will play South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, on June 7 before flying to Abidjan to tackle Benin Republic at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny three days later.

FULL LIST

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Sadiq Ismael (Remo Stars FC); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Benjamin Tanimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey)

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France)