Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has made a bold statement ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming international friendlies, dropping several high-profile names, including Victor Osimhen and first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, from his latest squad.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that Chelle has selected a 23-man squad for the two matches, retaining a strong core of experienced internationals while introducing fresh faces into the team.
Team captain Wilfred Ndidi returns to anchor the side, alongside midfield regular Alex Iwobi and former African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman, who is expected to lead the attack in the absence of Osimhen.
The exclusions of Osimhen and Nwabali headline a sweeping reshuffle of the squad that featured at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Chelle opting to assess new options and reconfigure his team ahead of the fixtures against Iran and Jordan.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Iran on March 27 before taking on Jordan on March 31, with both fixtures now set to be played in Antalya, Turkey.