Inter Milan-owned midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has been named in Nigeria’s final 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Pisa SC manager Alberto Gilardino has confirmed, Soccernet.ng reports.
It is the 21-year-old’s first senior national team call-up, a remarkable rise for a player who only made his Serie A debut earlier this year.
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro’s inclusion follows an eye-catching start to life with newly promoted Pisa, where he has become one of the revelations of the season.
The Nigerian has made 11 league appearances, delivering one assist and twice earning man-of-the-match recognition. His energy, discipline and range of passing have stood out in a side battling for stability in Italy’s top flight.
The midfielder recently returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out against Sassuolo and Inter Milan. Introduced at halftime against Parma, he injected urgency into Pisa’s midfield and almost fashioned an equaliser, denied only by a teammate’s poor finishing.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is believed to view Akinsanmiro as a dynamic option in midfield: a willing runner, a tidy passer, and a box-to-box presence who offers attributes Nigeria currently lack behind Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka.
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Ebenezer Akinsanmiro: Pisa boss confirms AFCON departure as Inter monitor rising star
Gilardino did little to hide his admiration after the Parma match, praising the youngster’s continued growth and confirming that he will soon depart for national duty.
“Akinsanmiro? After Lecce (on December 12), he’ll miss several matches,” he said, as per FC Inter1908.
Nigeria opens camp on December 15 ahead of the AFCON, meaning Akinsanmiro is expected to be among the first arrivals.
He could earn his maiden cap a day later in a pre-tournament practice match against Egypt. The Super Eagles begin their AFCON campaign on December 23 against Tanzania, with the competition kicking off two days earlier.
Inter Milan, who still own the midfielder, are tracking his progress closely. The Nerazzurri inserted a €6m option-to-buy and a slightly higher buy-back clause when loaning him to Pisa, allowing the former Italian champions to retain long-term control while evaluating his future next summer.
Akinsanmiro’s journey, from Remo Stars to Viareggio finalist and from Inter Milan debutant to a standout at Pisa, has accelerated rapidly. Born in November 2004, he has shown the maturity and technical balance of a player several years older. Now, as he heads to his first major international tournament, Nigeria will hope his rise continues on continental soil.