With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations set to roar into life later this month in Morocco, the battle for national pride has already begun; not on the pitch, but on the squad sheets.
Every participating nation has announced its provisional list, and as expected, Nigeria’s 54-man roster under head coach Eric Chelle has already become the first arena of debate.
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Chelle’s selection blends seasoned regulars with intriguing newcomers, but as with any provisional squad, the real contest lies in the imminent cut to 28 players. Some names are untouchable. Others are fighting for survival; up against form, fitness, tactical suitability, and the coach’s internal hierarchy of trust.
International football is rarely a meritocracy. Coaches place high value on players who understand their blueprint, can absorb instructions quickly, and have delivered for them in previous battles. Fans, on the other hand, see current form as the only fair parameter. So, AFCON selection becomes a clash between logic and loyalty.
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Ahead of the final unveiling, here are seven high-profile Super Eagles players who made the 54-man provisional list but are unlikely to feature in Chelle’s final 28-man squad for Morocco.
1. Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor, Turkey)
Paul Onuachu has been one of Europe’s most lethal Nigerian forwards this season. With 11 goals and an assist, he currently tops the Turkish scoring charts and stands as Nigeria’s highest scorer in Europe in the last four months.
But despite his streak, Chelle has consistently looked elsewhere; particularly toward Wolves Tolu Arokodare, whose recent club form lags far behind Onuachu’s. The coach’s preference has been clear for months. Unless something dramatic changes, Onuachu is the victim of a system that simply doesn’t favour him.
2. Francis Uzoho (Omonia Nicosia, Cyprus)
A veteran of 35 caps, Uzoho has been part of the Super Eagles’ goalkeeping story for nearly a decade. Yet the chapter appears closed. A sequence of costly errors in 2023/2024 led to the rise of Stanley Nwabali, who has since become undroppable.
At club level, Uzoho’s fortunes haven’t improved; he is now a backup at Omonia. With only three goalkeeping slots available and Nwabali and Maduka Okoye locked in, it is difficult to see Uzoho claiming the final ticket, usually reserved slot for home based goalkeepers.
3. Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany)
Felix Agu’s inclusion in the provisional squad raised eyebrows. Injured since early October and nowhere near match fitness, the right-back is not expected to return to action until next year.
With AFCON just 2 weeks and 3 days away, the timeline is impossible. Without minutes, sharpness, or conditioning, Agu’s AFCON dream stops at the provisional stage.
4. Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)
Once a central piece of Nigeria’s attacking future, Taiwo Awoniyi has endured a bruising 12 months. Injuries have disrupted his rhythm, and at Nottingham Forest, the superb form of Chris Wood has pushed him down the pecking order.
Awoniyi has featured in just four games this season, none lasting 90 minutes, and goals have dried up. In a crowded attacking department, the striker simply lacks momentum heading into AFCON.
5. Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany)
Another surprise inclusion. Although Boniface has returned from injury, he has not rediscovered the explosiveness that defined his rise. He has registered three assists but has yet to score this season, and most of his appearances have come from the bench.
Nigeria’s forward pool is stacked with sharper, more confident options. Based on form alone, Boniface is one of the easier names to cut. Not to mention his inability to transform club scoring prowess to the National team, even when in form.
6. Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain)
Sadiq Umar’s long-term knee injury robbed him of momentum, and his attempt to regain it at Real Sociedad has faltered. He has struggled for game time, sharpness, and consistency, slipping behind several forwards in the club’s depth chart.
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With Chelle favouring in-form options like Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, and Tolu Arokodare, Sadiq’s chances of squeezing into the final squad remain slim.
7. Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic, Scotland)
Kelechi “Senior Man” Iheanacho remains one of Nigeria’s most technically refined forwards, but several factors now threaten his AFCON chances. At Celtic, his performances have been inconsistent, his minutes uneven, and his goal output modest compared to other Nigerian attackers.
Chelle’s tactical approach prioritises high-press, high-energy forwards; players who stretch defenders, attack channels aggressively, and contribute off the ball. Iheanacho thrives more in link-up play and tight-pocket creativity than in relentless pressing.
With competition intensifying around him, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams, Chidera Ejuke, his place in the squad has become vulnerable.
Simply put:
Iheanacho still has quality, but the timing, system, and competition are working against him.
