Nigeria will head into the Africa Cup of Nations with unusually low expectations following coach Eric Chelle’s controversial final squad selection. The Super Eagles named a streamlined list after initially unveiling a bloated 54-man provisional squad, a move that baffled observers. While the final squad offers clues about Chelle’s thinking, several decisions have raised doubts about Nigeria’s readiness for the tournament in Morocco.
Chelle appears to have initiated a rebuild, calling up five new players, most of them under 23, including Ryan Alebiosu, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Tochukwu Nnadi. However, the inclusion of 31-year-old Usman Mohammed, who has no senior caps, drew scrutiny. Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was also left out, reportedly due to conditions set by his club, Udinese, despite injuries to Stanley Nwabali.
Nigeria’s challenges are compounded by injuries, key absences and declining fan confidence after back-to-back World Cup qualification failures. The retirement of former captain William Troost-Ekong, the omission of domestic league players, and doubts over the goalkeeping department have further dampened optimism. Many fans believe the Super Eagles would be fortunate to progress beyond the quarterfinals.