By Gwurld4026 
Eric Chelle’s Final 23-Man Squad for World Cup Qualifiers
In a significant shake-up ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle has announced his final 23-man squad, notably excluding veteran forward Ahmed Musa and striker Kelechi Iheanacho. The team is set to face Rwanda on March 21 and Zimbabwe on March 25.
Goalkeepers:
- Francis Uzoho (Omonia Nicosia)
- Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs)
- John Noble (Enyimba FC)
Defenders:
- William Troost-Ekong (Watford)
- Leon Balogun (Queens Park Rangers)
- Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC)
- Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City)
- Ola Aina (Torino FC)
- Igoh Ogbu (Slovan Liberec) – debutant
- Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto)
Midfielders:
- Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)
- Alex Iwobi (Everton)
- Joe Aribo (Rangers FC)
- Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca)
- Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge)
- Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (Royal Antwerp)
- Papa Daniel Mustapha (Enyimba FC) – debutant
Forwards:
- Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Moses Simon (Nantes)
- Sadiq Umar (Almería)
- Nathan Tella (Burnley)
Coach Chelle’s decision to omit Musa and Iheanacho has sparked reactions among fans and analysts, given their contributions to the national team over the years. However, the inclusion of debutants like Igoh Ogbu, Papa Daniel Mustapha, and Tolu Arokodare indicates a strategic move towards integrating fresh talent into the squad.
For a more in-depth discussion on this development, you can watch the following video: