AFCON 2025
Eric Chelle’s decision to hand first-time invitations to Isaac James, George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor has added three new faces to the Super Eagles squad for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
But while the trio prepare for their first senior international experience, there are other Nigerian players who have also been making strong cases at club level.
Rafiu Durosinmi, Bamidele Yusuf and Femi Azeez are three names whose recent performances make their absence from the 24-man squad particularly notable.
Rafiu Durosinmi
Rafiu Durosinmi has started the new season in Belgium with the kind of scoring form that naturally attracts attention.
The 23-year-old striker has scored five goals in six Belgian Pro League appearances for Genk this season, starting all six matches and playing 422 minutes. His latest goal came in Genk’s 1-1 draw with Gent on September 13.
Durosinmi had already found the net against Zulte Waregem, Westerlo, Antwerp and Beveren before adding another against Gent.
His goals have come consistently rather than in one isolated run, with the forward scoring in five of Genk’s first six league games.
It is the latest step in the career of a striker who has spent the last few years developing his game in European football.
For Nigeria, the timing is interesting.
The Super Eagles have no shortage of attacking options, with Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams and Tolu Arokodare among those selected by Chelle. But Durosinmi’s start to the season means his name remains difficult to overlook when discussing the country’s current crop of strikers.
At Genk, he has been given responsibility from the start of the campaign and has responded with goals.
That form has earned him a place in the conversation, even if this particular international window has come too early for his first senior call-up.
Bamidele Yusuf
Bamidele Yusuf’s story has taken another step forward at Ferencváros.
The 25-year-old attacker has been involved in both domestic and European football for the Hungarian champions this season, scoring twice and providing an assist in the league before Thursday night’s Europa League trip to Celtic.
Then came another significant performance.
Yusuf scored Ferencváros’ second goal and provided two assists as the Hungarian side defeated Celtic 3-1 in Glasgow on September 17. He was named the game’s highest-rated player by FotMob with a rating of 9.1.
The performance came on the biggest stage of his season so far.
Yusuf had already scored against Trabzonspor in the Europa League qualifying play-offs and had also found the net against Újpest in the Hungarian league.
His versatility has also been an important part of his development.
Although primarily an attacker, Yusuf has been used in different positions across Ferencváros’ frontline and attacking midfield areas. His ability to contribute goals, assists and work across the attacking line has made him an increasingly important player for the club.
The Celtic performance arrived just one day after Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying squad was announced.
For Yusuf, it was perhaps the clearest reminder yet of the level he is capable of performing at.
A first Super Eagles invitation has not arrived this time, but his recent European performances have given him another strong platform from which to push for one.
Femi Azeez
Femi Azeez is the most experienced of the three when it comes to the Super Eagles.
The 25-year-old made his Nigeria debut during the 2026 Unity Cup and scored in both of his appearances, finding the net against Zimbabwe and Jamaica.
His club form before that international breakthrough had already attracted attention.
Azeez scored 11 Championship goals for Millwall during the 2025/26 season and was named in the EFL Championship Team of the Year after helping the club reach the play-offs.
His performances also earned him a move to the Premier League, with Brighton signing him from Millwall on a four-year contract at the beginning of September.
It is a significant progression for a player whose senior career began outside the professional leagues.
Azeez moved from non-league football into the professional game with Reading before establishing himself at Millwall. His rise continued through the 2025/26 campaign, when he became one of the club’s leading attacking players.
He now has two senior Nigeria appearances and two international goals.
That made his absence from the squad for the Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau qualifiers another notable selection decision.
Azeez’s move to Brighton also gives him a new challenge. He will now compete for opportunities in the Premier League while continuing to build on the international experience he gained earlier this year.
