Nigeria head coach Jose Peseiro last week joined other Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)-bound coaches to send their provisional list of players from where they will select a final squad to prosecute the competition.
Your Sports Memo, www.aclsports.com had on Saturday, December 16, 2023 given a hint on the key talking points in Peseiro’s provisional list, highlighting the inclusion of Chaves midfielder Kelechi Nwakali and Sporting Lagos goalkeeper Christian Nwoke.
Today, we present, exclusively, the full list of players included in Peseiro’s large pool which he intends to win the trophy as he has repeatedly promised. The provisional list includes three home based players and a rich collection of foreign based professionals with only one based inside Africa.
Newly-crowned African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen leads the cast of the regular suspects which also includes Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho, Daddy Moses Simon and Odinaka Francis Uzoho.
Team captain Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo – the only two players in the team to have won the AFCON previously were also included in the provisional list in spite of Musa’s exclusion from the team’s last two international windows.
There’s also a category of zero to three caps players in the list which includes Belgium based players Alhassan Yusuf, Jordan Torunarigha and the other five goalkeepers invited aside Uzoho.
Peseiro has until January 3, 2024 – eleven days to Nigeria’s opening game against Equatorial Guinea – to release his final list of not more than twenty-seven (27) players for the tournament.
THE FULL PROVISIONAL LIST
Goalkeepers
1. Francis Uzoho
2. Adebayo Adeleye
3. Ojo Olorunleke
4. Stanley Nwabali
5. Amas Obasogie
6. Christian Nwoke
Defenders
1. Ola Aina
2. Bright Osayi-Samuel
3. Tyronne Ebuehi
4. Jamilu Collins
5. Zaidu Sanusi
6. Bruno Onyemaechi
7. William Troost-Ekong
8. Semi Ajayi
9. Calvin Bassey
10. Kenneth Omeruo
11. Kevin Akpoguma
12. Chidozie Awaziem
13. Jordan Torunarigha
Midfielders
1. Wilfred Ndidi
2. Frank Onyeka
3. Joe Aribo
4. Alex Iwobi
5. Alhassan Yusuf
6. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
7. Raphael Onyedika Nwadike
8. Kelechi Nwakali
Attackers
1. Victor Osimhen
2. Victor Boniface
3. Terem Moffi
4. Umar Sadiq
5. Ahmed Musa
6. Paul Onuachu
7. Cyriel Dessers
8. Ademola Lookman
9. Nathan Tella
10. Moses Simon
11. Emmanuel Dennis
12. Samuel Chukwueze
13. Kelechi Iheanacho
Where is Leon Balogun, Taiwo Awoniyi and Chuba Akpom?
Leon Balogun is the best. Sorry for super eagle