Super Eagles Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has named his 28-man final list of the Nigerian team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The tourney, which is 33rd in the series, is taking place in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022.
Captain Ahmed Musa, midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi, and effervescent forward Victor Osimhen were among those who made the cut for the big house party.
The three-time winners would confront seven-time and record winners Egypt, Sudan, and debutants Guinea Bissau with venue in the northern town of Garoua.
A mouth-watering clash with the Pharaohs in the group opener on January 11 means the Eagles must hit the ground at a blistering pace.
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Former Nigeria captain Eguavoen, who coached the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the finals in Egypt 15 years ago, selected four goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders, and 10 forwards to aim for Nigeria’s fourth diadem in Cameroon.
Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho, defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Olaoluwa Aina and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Joseph Ayodele-Aribo and Chidera Ejuke, and forwards Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo, and Samuel Chukwueze were also on the roster.
There is a return to the group for former U-17 World Cup-winning captain Kelechi Nwakali, forward Emmanuel Dennis, and 2016 Olympics star Sadiq Umar.
All invited players, except the UK-based crew, are to arrive in camp in Abuja on Wednesday next week, with the UK-based players expected to start arriving on January 3.
See the full list of players below:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands).
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa).
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain).
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England).
