Nigeria’s final 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers later this month is out, with in-form Rangers striker, Cyriel Dessers, one of 16 players to miss the final cut after making the provisional list of 39 players.
Eric Chelle’s final 23-man squad leans heavily on attack as it consists of three goalkeepers, six defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards, yet Dessers has failed to make the cut despite being the second highest scoring Nigerian attacker this season behind Victor Osimhen.
Meanwhile, Tolu Arokodare, who has scored 18 goals so far this season (same as Ademola Lookman) is one of four players getting a first-time call-up to the national team as they prepare to face Rwanda and Zimbabwe in must-win qualifying matches later in March.
Remo Stars goalkeeper, Kayode Bankole, is also a first-timer along with Slavia Prague defender, Igho Ogbu, and Niger Tornadoes midfielder, Papa Mustapha.
Nigeria’s 23-man squad
Goalkeepers
Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie, Kayode Bankole
Defenders
William Troost-Ekong, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Igoh Ogbu
Midfielders
Alex Iwobi, Alhassan Yusuf, Joe Aribo, Papa Daniel Mustapha, Raphael Onyedika, Wilfred Ndidi
Forwards
Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, Samuel Chukwueze, Tolu Arokodare, Victor Boniface, Victor Osimhen.