AFCON 2025
Ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, five Super Eagles players are in line to make their debut at the competition.
Eric Chelle included former youth international Salim Fago, Tochukwu Nnadi, among three others in the 28-man list released on Thursday.
The list also consists of former Remo Stars Academy (Beyond Limits) graduate Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, currently on loan from Inter Milan while playing for Pisa in the Italian Serie A.
Among the five newcomers are a defender, three midfielders, and a striker, as the Super Eagles begin preparations for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for December 21 to January 18 in Morocco.
1. Ryan Alebiosu
Ryan Alebiosu is a right-back and plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Championship. He is a former Arsenal Academy graduate and has gained experience at Crewe Alexandra, Kilmarnock, Kortrijk, and St. Mirren in the Scottish Premier League. Alebiosu is a two-way full-back with brilliant positioning in defense and an outlet in attack as well. The 23-year-old defender has played 21 times this season in the Championship, scoring a goal and providing two assists so far.
2. Muhammed Usman – Ironi Tiberias
Muhammed Usman is an attacking midfielder who came through the Nigeria Premier Football League. Usman played for Ranchers Bees of Kaduna before moving to Taraba F.C., where he helped the club gain promotion into the league in 2013. The 31-year-old midfielder played for three seasons before embarking on a nomadic sojourn across various European clubs. Muhammed Usman currently plays for Ironi Tiberias in the Israeli Premier League. He is fondly remembered for his nimble footwork in a friendly match against Atletico Madrid in 2017 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
3. Ebenezer Akinsanmiro
Akinsanmiro is a versatile midfielder who operates either as a box-to-box or a regista. He is quite solid in defense and offers creativity in attack, making him one of the players to look out for in the tournament. The 21-year-old midfielder came through the youth ranks of Remo Stars before joining Inter Milan on a permanent deal in the 2022/2023 season. Ebenezer Akinsanmiro is currently on loan at Pisa in the Serie A and has played 12 matches this season with an assist to his name.
4. Tochukwu Nnadi
He is a former youth international. Nnadi played for the Flying Eagles at the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina and played five matches as the team crashed out in the quarter-finals. The 22-year-old is a defensive midfielder and plays for Zulte Waregem in the Belgian Jupiler League, and has played 16 times this season, often as a starter.
5. Salim Fago Lawal
Fago is also a youth international. The 22-year-old played alongside Nnadi at the tournament, where he scored a goal in five matches. The young striker has been quite consistent for Istra 1961 in the Croatian top division with 5 goals in 17 matches this season. Salim Fagos is strong, tall, fast, and quite clinical in front of goal as he continues to develop.
