Snubbed Super Eagles stars list: Ola Aina, Cyriel Dessers, Omeruo and six others who will miss Finidi George debut
The Nigeria Football Federation has unveiled the roster of Super Eagles players for Finidi George’s debut as head coach.
Head coach Finidi George has called up 23 players as Nigeria braces to take on South Africa and the Benin Republic in June.
Fresh off his heroics in the Europa League final for Atalanta, Ademola Lookmanheadlines the list of invited players cementing his status as the man of the moment. He will hopefully get minutes from Finidi George this time, after the reported dispute from the friendly games against Ghana and Mali.
Among the notable names on the list are Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Bayer Leverkusen’s Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface, and AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze.
However, there are some glaring absentees in the squad, with notable figures missing from the ranks of goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards.
Team captain Ahmed Musa finds himself excluded from the squad, continuing his absence from the friendly games against Ghana and Mali back in March. With Musa currently clubless, speculation mounts that his time with the Super Eagles may have concluded post-AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
Likewise, AFCON’s Most Valuable Player Williams Troost-Ekong is absent from the list, possibly due to an injury sustained during the continental tournament.
Surprisingly, veteran defender Kenneth Omeruo fails to secure a spot in Finidi’s defensive lineup, raising eyebrows given his wealth of experience, especially in light of Troost-Ekong’s unavailability.
Disappointment looms for Cyriel Dessers, who misses out on the roster despite his impressive performances during the last international break. The Rangers FC goal scorer had been eyeing his competitive debut for the Super Eagles.
In midfield, Joe Aribo’s resurgence at Southampton fails to earn him a place in the squad, despite his stellar form in the Championship.
The absence of natural left-footers like Jamilu Collins and Bruno Onyemaechi leaves Calvin Bassey as the only left-footed option in the list.
On the right flank, Ola Aina’s omission comes as a surprise, given his standout displays for Nottingham Forest. Instead, Remo Stars’ Sodiq Ismael earns a nod to deputize for Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Real Sociedad’s Umar Sadiq sees himself left out, reflecting his fall from grace even at his Spanish club, Real Sociedad.
In the striking department, Taiwo Awoniyi’s recent return from injury doesn’t secure him a spot, with Finidi opting for Kelechi Iheanacho, who has seen limited action for Leicester City this year.
In summary, several top Super Eagles stars, including Awoniyi, Sadiq, Aina, Collins, Onyemaechi, Aribo, Dessers, Omeruo, Troost-Ekong, and Musa, will be unavailable for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
