Positive news for Super Eagles head coach as Maduka Okoye recovers from Injury
Nigeria’s hopes of reviving their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign have received a major boost with the return of Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye from injury.
The Udinese shot-stopper had been out for over a month after undergoing surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right wrist.
However, Okoye has now returned to training with his club, raising hopes that he could be available for Nigeria’s crucial qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.
According to reports from Tutto Udinese, the 24-year-old was among the players who resumed training at Udinese’s Bruseschi training centre this week as the team prepares for their match against Napoli.
The report confirmed that Okoye, along with teammates Keinan Davis and Kingsley Ehizibue, has fully recovered and is back in full training.
Udinese had announced in December that Okoye needed surgery for his wrist injury, with medical experts recommending immediate treatment to restore full function. His absence has been noticeable, but the Nigerian goalkeeper now looks ready to return to action.
However, Okoye’s comeback comes at a time when he is facing an investigation in Italy over an alleged betting scandal. Reports suggest that he is being investigated for allegedly betting on himself to receive a yellow card during Udinese’s Serie A match against Lazio on 11 March 2024.
The booking, which happened in the 64th minute for time-wasting, reportedly triggered an alert from Italian betting company Sisal, which flagged unusual betting patterns on that specific event.
Despite the controversy, Okoye has been one of Udinese’s key performers this season, making 14 league appearances and registering 42 saves—placing him among Serie A’s top goalkeepers. His last match was a 2-0 defeat to Genoa, where he made three important saves.
Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Okoye chose to represent Nigeria at the international level despite being eligible for Germany. He was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but faced heavy criticism after the team’s early exit.
The 24-year-old returned to the national team under former coach Augustine Eguavoen, playing in Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Rwanda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
With new coach Eric Chelle now in charge, Okoye will be eager to reclaim his spot as Nigeria push for their first win in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Super Eagles have failed to win in four games and must secure back-to-back victories against Rwanda and Zimbabwe to keep their qualification hopes alive.
