As the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifying campaign limps on to the now-crucial final two games in October, the fans will have to endure an anxious wait to see whether they will be able to cheer on their heroes in North America next year. Nigeria infamously missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and there will be little empathy for the players and coaches if that happens again.
In the meantime, many of those Nigerian fans will take solace in supporting the players while they perform for their club sides. Some of them star for English teams and feature in some of the Premier League betting markets.
Three players, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze, play for Fulham, with two more – Christantus Uche and Frank Onyeka – just a few miles down the road at Crystal Palace and Brentford, respectively. Away from London, Ola Aina has made himself a cult hero at Nottingham Forest, where Taiwo Awoniyi has also featured, although injuries and a lack of game time saw him omitted from the most recent Nigeria squad.
Alongside new face Tolu Arokodare at Wolves, all of these players will be lighting up the EPL this season. Hopefully, they will also be able to inspire a comeback for the national team as the Super Eagles book their place at World Cup 2026.
