AFCON 2025: Nwabali arrives as 22 Eagles set to begin training in Abidjan Tuesday night

Only Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar was being expected as Nigeria’s juggernaut rolled sturdily into the much-familiar environment of Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Tuesday, with 22 players set for the team’s first training session ahead of a potentially explosive Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against neighbours Benin Republic on Thursday.

‘We have 22 players, with only one person to join the team in the early hours of Wednesday. It has been a particularly great atmosphere here in Abidjan, and we are all very positive going into the first training session ahead of the match,’ Coach Augustine Eguavoen told thenff.com on Tuesday.

Eleven players, viz Captain and AFCON Man of the Competition William Ekong, reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, his likely successor Ademola Lookman, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Olaoluwa Aina, Victor Collins and Calvin Bassey, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, and Germany-based forward Victor Boniface all arrived at once on Tuesday morning, before being joined by South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Earlier, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Kelechi Iheanacho had arrived, to join the eight that were in camp on Monday: goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defenders Gabriel Osho and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze.