Nigeria coach Eric Chelle said he expects the Super Eagles to play with intensity and aim for victory against Russia on Tuesday, even after a spate of withdrawals removed several experienced internationals from his squad. Captain Wilfred Ndidi was ruled out after sustaining a knock in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying loss to Guinea-Bissau, the Nigeria Football Federation said.
The NFF said clubs withheld Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola and Moses Usor. Usor, who scored on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar last month, was not originally listed for the trip but was requested by Chelle to fill gaps; the NFF said LASK told Usor he should not fly. Basel defender Victory Akpe was ruled out with injury and Suleiman Mubarak could not travel because of a residency permit issue, leaving Chelle with 18 players.
The group is heavily weighted toward youth: 12 of the 18 players are under 22, 13 are 22 or younger, eight are 20 or younger and four are still teenagers, giving an average age of about 22.3. The side is also largely inexperienced at international level, with nine uncapped players and a further three who have fewer than two senior appearances.
With the bulk of the established core absent, Chelle will lean on young prospects alongside a handful of senior figures such as Moses Simon, Stanley Nwabali, Kelechi Iheanacho and Akor Adams. Potential selections include Brentford defender Benjamin Fredrick, Fulham midfielder Chibuzo Nwoko and teenagers Stephen Michael, Aderemi Adeoye and Peter Edokpolor. The initial 24-player list had already featured newcomers including SJK goalkeeper Samuel James and Akpe.
Chelle said clubs were reluctant to release players and that compelled him to bring in youth, adding, “This is not the same team” following the Guinea-Bissau loss. He emphasised an expectation of greater intensity against a Russia side that presses aggressively and said he wanted the match to be an opportunity for players to show what they can do.
Paris FC forward Moses Simon, left as the most senior figure in the traveling party and expected to captain Nigeria on what would be his 102nd senior appearance, echoed the coach: “We did not come here to lose.” The enforced reshuffle also presents Chelle a chance to assess talent for the next Super Eagles cycle after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
