Osimhen, Awoniyi, Chukwueze Injury updates ahead of Nigeria 2026 FIFWCQ
Super Eagles’ trio Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze may be ready for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe per reports from the players’ respective clubs.
The players are doubts with injury for the upcoming games in November 2023 but may just return earlier than expected.
VICTOR OSIMHEN: 2022/2023 Italian Serie A top-scorer Victor Osimhen has been out since suffering a muscular problem during Nigeria’s International friendly game vs Saudi Arabia in October.
On Friday, November 2, Napoli SSC manager Rudi Garcia said that he expects to have Osimhen at his disposal as soon as this week.
“The doctors manage and guarantee me that he is following the programme. He will be with us next week.”
That will be after he returns from a trip to Nigeria , where he is reportedly expected to handle personal issues.
Chances are slim that he will be rushed back for the Super Eagles engagements on November 16th and 20th.
SAMUEL CHUKWEZE: The AC Milan winger suffered a hamstring injury in the same international break as Osimhen.
Chukwueze has missed AC Milan’s league games against Juventus and Napoli and was supposed to be out for at least a month.
In a remarkable turn of events, AC Milan manager, Stephan Pioli gave update ahead of his side’s Serie A clas vs Udinese that the Super Eagles forward has recovered earlier than expected.
“Loftus-Cheek is well and will be available against Udinese, while Pulisic, Chukwueze and Kjær should return against PSG (on Tuesday),” Pioli told AC Milan’s official website.
TAIWO AWONIYI: Unlike Osimhen and Chukwueze, awoniyi was not available for the Super Eagles during the last International break.
Last week, he returned to Nottingham Forest’s first team as a substitute in their 0-3 loss to Liverpool and is expected to be eased gradually into the team’s programme, beginning with today’s clash with Aston Villa.
The striker was not fit enough to start against Liverpool, but he came off the bench in the Reds’ 3-0 defeat.
“Taiwo is a player we have to manage. He’s in a bit of a complex situation with his injury. It’s an ongoing one, and it will be for a little while,” Nottingham Forest Head Coach Steve Cooper said ahead of the game vs Aston Villa.
“It’s frustrating, for him more than anyone else. He was doing so well and this has really held him back.
“It’s not been as simple as he’s back training and he’s fully fit. It’s something that is going to be a managing process for a little bit of time now.
“We’ll see if he is available for the weekend. We hope he is, but it could go either way.”
He added: “I am not sure that he will need surgery down the line, but it is not a straightforward injury, it has also aggravated an injury he had last year. He can have indifferent days (with the injury) and it is an annoying one for him”.
“It is something we will have to take day-by-day. He has good support around him, in terms of the medical staff we have, and hopefully he will be able to play more often than not.”
NIGERIA’S FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION JOURNEY: The Jose Peseiro tutored Super Eagles team will begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification journey vs Lesotho on November 16.
Matchday two pits the Eagles vs the Warriors of Zimbabwe on November 19.
The Nigeria National team player-roster for both games is yet to be announced.
