The countdown in Morocco is humming, and few stories feel more combustible or compelling than the AFCON 2025 Nigeria squad and preparations. The Super Eagles have the firepower to frighten any defense, yet they carry debate into camp, from coaching questions to selection uproar, all while Group C looms with Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
On one side are the goals, the surging form and the swagger of Victor Osimhen and a cast of in-form attackers. On the other is the noise, the accusations of interference, the omission of familiar names and a red card that rekindles old worries about discipline. Nigeria’s path to a fourth continental crown will be defined by how quickly Eric Chelle’s team turns noise into clarity.
What Jo Bonfrere sees from afar
Former Nigeria coach Jo Bonfrere, watching from the Netherlands, cut straight to the nerve of the conversation. He believes Nigeria have the players to win AFCON in Morocco, but the leadership choices and coaching standard have not matched the talent. For him, administrative decisions have dragged the team away from its potential.
“The Super Eagles are good. They have the best players in Africa and some of the best in Europe, but they need better coaching to win the AFCON.”
Bonfrere did not hide his frustration with the Nigeria Football Federation, criticizing the choice of coach and the process behind it. He referenced Nigeria’s failure to reach the FIFA World Cup and lamented what that absence means for a star like Victor Osimhen, who he said the world expected to see on the biggest stage.
“It’s the fault of the Federation. When you look for a coach, you look for quality and experience. That is why the Super Eagles will not go to the World Cup.”
His point is as much about standards as it is about style. With AFCON 2025 starting on December 21 in Morocco, he believes Nigeria’s ceiling will be decided by the thinking on the touchline as much as the talent on the pitch.
Chelle’s 28 man list sets off a storm
Eric Chelle’s final 28 man list, built as three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and nine forwards, has jolted the national conversation. The inclusion of several uncapped or lesser known players, and the exclusion of some established names, brought sharp reactions from former internationals.
Friday Ekpo called for patience, arguing that injuries, fitness and long term plans likely influenced selection. He urged supporters to trust that the coach has a rationale, especially with new faces potentially forming the team’s future bedrock. That is a pragmatic view, the kind every tournament squad needs when anxiety spikes.
Yet Ifeanyi Udeze pulled no punches, labeling parts of the list questionable. He pointed at the goalkeeping department and asked why a regular like Maduka Okoye at Udinese is out while shot stoppers from Cyprus and Tanzania are in. He also flagged the omission of Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare, adding that some players he sees do not belong in the team, even as he pledged his full support for the Super Eagles.
“Leaving Maduka Okoye out is questionable… he is a regular for Udinese, but we have goalkeepers from Cyprus and Tanzania who made the list.”
Fuel met spark when a top commentator alleged that Chelle was forced to accept five unwanted players into the squad, pointing at political interference from the NFF. In tournament weeks, stories like this do not just travel, they linger.
Group C realities and the calendar
Nigeria’s AFCON campaign begins on December 23 against Tanzania, followed by a Group C test against Tunisia four days later. The final group match comes against Uganda, a clash layered with emotional subplots and competitive stakes.
The tournament itself runs from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026, and Morocco’s stage will demand fast starts. For a squad carrying debate into camp, that first whistle against Tanzania will do more than set a tone, it will either sharpen belief or invite pressure.
Form check from abroad brings a lift
Over the weekend, Nigeria’s attack answered questions with actions. At Galatasaray, Victor Osimhen found the net again, a reminder that he remains the focal point. In Spain, Sevilla routed Real Oviedo 4-0 with Akor Adams scoring and assisting twice, and Chidera Ejuke adding the final goal.
In England, Fulham’s Nigerian contingent signed off with style, as Calvin Bassey scored his first of the season, Samuel Chukwueze notched another assist and Alex Iwobi impressed in a strong team display. Across leagues, Cyriel Dessers and new boy Salim Fago joined the party with impactful contributions that underscore Nigeria’s depth.
There was also space for the nearly men. Tolu Arokodare grabbed his first Premier League goal against Arsenal, while Rafiu Durosinmi and Gift Orban, who hit a brace for Hella Verona in Serie A, delivered a timely reminder of the talent pool that remains just outside the AFCON frame.
The discipline question refuses to go away
Just as the attack glowed, a familiar concern resurfaced. Newly invited midfielder Usman Mohammed was sent off in the Israeli league, two quick yellows leading to dismissal days before joining camp. His inclusion had already sparked debate given limited impact this season, and the timing of the red card added fuel.
In knockout football, a single lapse can unravel months of work, which is why Chelle’s staff must tighten control in midfield and defence. The weekend’s blend of attacking momentum and disciplinary misstep is the contradiction that could define the Super Eagles if not addressed early.
Nigerians in other shirts add plot twists
AFCON 2025 will feature familiar roots in unfamiliar colors, an emotional subplot that could intersect directly with Nigeria’s path. Uganda’s Uche Ikpeazu, born in London to a Nigerian father and a Ugandan mother, finally made his senior debut in September 2025. With Uganda sharing Nigeria’s group, Ikpeazu is poised to face his father’s nation.
Benin Republic’s pair offers a different lens on identity. Junior Olaitan, raised in Nigeria and molded by its football culture, became a regular for Benin after debuting in World Cup qualifying in 2021, even supplying an assist against the Super Eagles in competitive play. He arrives as a European tested midfielder, a key figure for Benin as they look to trouble bigger names.
Then there is Aiyegun Tosin, born in Lagos and developed at Real Sapphire FC before moving to Europe. Zurich provided breakthrough, and a 2023 transfer to Lorient sealed his top flight status. Benin moved decisively, calling him up in 2022, and he scored on his debut. He has already faced Nigeria in qualifiers, including a recent 4-0 win for the Super Eagles, the kind of shared history that turns group stage duels into psychological chess.
How the Super Eagles might start against Tanzania
Former international Emmanuel Okoduwa kept it simple and sharp when asked about Nigeria’s front line for the opener. He expects a dynamic trio of Ademola Lookman on the left, Samuel Chukwueze on the right and Victor Osimhen through the middle, a mix of pace, creativity and penalty area ruthlessness.
That projection aligns with the form sheet. Lookman’s direct threat, Chukwueze’s ability to stretch defenses and Osimhen’s relentless finishing give Chelle a balanced blueprint for the first ninety minutes. In tournament openers, rhythm matters, and that trio can create it.
Nigeria’s camp has already bubbled in Cairo, with a pre AFCON friendly against Egypt set to offer a final dress rehearsal. If cohesion and control match the attack’s confidence, the Super Eagles can carry belief into that December 23 kick off.
Bonfrere’s warning and Chelle’s challenge
Bonfrere’s critique is not nostalgia, it is a coaching challenge. Nigeria’s talent is not in doubt, but tournament success demands synchronicity, clarity and in game problem solving. That is the message beneath the heat of his words, and it is the standard Chelle must meet.
Squad debates are normal, even useful when they provoke sharper focus. What matters now is how swiftly the staff define roles, settle the goalkeeping hierarchy in the absence of Maduka Okoye, and cool the discipline concerns that have too often become late stage heartbreak.
What Nigeria must solve before Morocco
- Coaching clarity and decisive leadership on match days,
- Squad cohesion and on field discipline in midfield and defence,
- Finishing efficiency and set piece sharpness.
The roadmap from noise to control
The tournament will reward the teams that compress preparation into precision. Nigeria’s route is plain. Lean on Victor Osimhen for end product, release Lookman and Chukwueze to stretch the field, empower midfielders who keep the game clean and calm, and demand concentration from back to front.
If the coaching staff manage the pressure points, the controversy that surrounded the 28 man list can fade into the background of a deep run. If not, Group C will punish any stumbles, with Tunisia’s organisation, Tanzania’s energy and Uganda’s layered pride looking for any door left ajar.
AFCON 2025 has already asked the Super Eagles a question. Do they have the balance to match their brilliance. The answer will start to form in Cairo and crystallize in Morocco, where talent meets tournament reality, and where Nigeria’s next chapter waits to be written.
