Dessers Ruled Out of AFCON 2025 as Super Eagles Prepare for Mozambique Clash

Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers has been ruled out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a thigh injury and has returned to his club.

The 31-year-old, who was taking part in his first major tournament with Nigeria, has made 11 appearances for the national team and scored four goals since making his debut in 2020.

Despite the setback, head coach Eric Chelle has urged the squad to remain focused as Nigeria prepare for the knockout stage of the competition.

Nigeria finished top of Group C with three straight wins, scoring eight goals, the highest tally in the tournament so far. The Super Eagles will face Mozambique in the Round of 16 on Monday at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.

Training continued in Morocco on Friday with 25 players taking part. Blackburn Rovers full-back Ryan Alebiosu was present but did not train as he continues to recover from a leg injury picked up during Nigeria’s 3-1 win over Uganda.

Medical scans have confirmed that Alebiosu’s injury is minor. He is expected to be sidelined for only a few weeks and remains part of the squad. Midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi also missed training due to a cold.

Coach Chelle limited media access to training sessions on Thursday and Friday to allow the team prepare without distractions. Full media access is expected to resume over the weekend.

Alebiosu impressed on his AFCON debut against Uganda, playing the full 90 minutes.

“This is his first game in Africa at AFCON, and I’m happy with how he played,” Chelle said.

Blackburn Rovers manager Valerien Ismael also played down the injury, saying: “Ryan has a cut, but it’s nothing serious. He played the whole match without any problem.”

Nigeria will now focus fully on their clash with Mozambique as they aim to continue their strong form and book a place in the quarter-finals.