Nigeria’s World Cup dream presently rests on one decisive playoff tie against Gabon, and Eric Chelle has unveiled his 24-man squad for the crucial showdown, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles boss, who has called up many of his most-trusted generals and a few fringe stars for next week’s crucial qualifier, left out one name that fans thought was untouchable: Paul Onuachu.
Onuachu’s omission feels, at first glance, like a crime against logic. The Trabzonspor forward has been a goal machine in Turkey, banging in 8 goals and 1 assist in 12 matches this season.
Previously underused in England, Onuachu has unlocked top-tier efficiency in Turkey.
The towering striker has collected a remarkable hat-trick of consecutive Player of the Month awards — August, September, and October — alongside multiple Goal of the Month trophies.
He’s scoring goals with increasing regularity and the kind that make headlines. The kind that win games. The kind Nigeria could desperately use.
Yet, Eric Chelle’s final list has no room for him. Instead, the Super Eagles boss called up eight forwards, including Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), Moses Simon (Paris FC), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla), Jerome Akor Adams (Sevilla), Tolu Arokodare (Wolves), and Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod).
To secure a spot in next March’s intercontinental playoffs, Nigeria must first overcome Gabon; a side boasting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Bouanga, two of Africa’s most dangerous forwards. Chelle knows what’s at stake. His margin for error is razor-thin.
So, is he right to drop Onuachu, Nigeria’s most prolific finisher in any of Europe’s top leagues right now?
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Eric Chelle’s calculated gamble and the logic behind it
On the surface, the decision looks unforgivable. After all, when you have a striker who can’t stop scoring, why leave him out? But football is not a game of numbers alone; it’s a game of systems, chemistry, and tactics.
Eric Chelle’s system thrives on fluidity, pace, and interplay; attributes that fit players like Osimhen, Ejuke, Chukwueze, and Lookman far more comfortably than a classic target man like Onuachu. The Trabzonspor forward offers height, physical presence, and penalty-box instinct, perfect for direct football. But Chelle’s approach demands movement between lines, pressing from the front, and interchangeability in attack.
In other words, it’s not just about who scores, but how they fit.
Insiders close to the national team revealed that the final decision came down to a direct toss-up between Onuachu and Chidera Ejuke. Given Ejuke’s resurgence at Sevilla and his profile as a dribbling, creative wide forward, Chelle opted for flair and versatility over physical dominance. And tactically, that makes sense.
Ejuke, who last played for Nigeria in March 2024, brings an extra dimension the team sorely lacks: unpredictability. Nigeria’s attack, for all its power, often feels too linear. Too reliant on Osimhen’s power and runs in behind. What Chelle appears to crave is a link-man, someone to create, combine, and conjure something from nothing.
Because, let’s face it: without Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles are painfully blunt. Every other forward is a complement, not a replacement. What the Eagles need are creators; players who can unlock Osimhen, not compete with him.
Chelle’s faith in Arokodare and Akor Adams may puzzle some, but it is rooted in trust and familiarity. Both players trained under him during the last international window and understand his tactical rhythm.
Arokodare, though yet to find the net in the Premier League, has impressed as a selfless runner and a disruptive force in pressing phases. Adams, meanwhile, has been used as a tactical foil for Osimhen, offering link-up play and energy up front.
It’s the sort of subtle detail fans rarely see but managers live and die by. Eric Chelle is clearly building cohesion, not just assembling names.
The midfield selections also reveal his strategic thinking. With Wilfred Ndidi and Raphael Onyedika recalled, Chelle is reinforcing Nigeria’s spine. In goal, Maduka Okoye’s return after a betting-related suspension adds healthy competition for Stanley Nwabali.
In essence, Chelle’s squad is more about balance than popularity.
A bold call in a brave campaign
Eric Chelle knows what is at stake. Beat Gabon, and Nigeria advance to face Cameroon or DR Congo in November’s playoff final. Win that, and they will fight for a World Cup berth in the intercontinental playoffs next March.
It’s a path lined with peril and every squad decision matters.
Chelle’s omission of Onuachu may cause public uproar, but it could also prove his most astute call yet. Against a side like Gabon – quick, compact, and counter-heavy – the Super Eagles need pace, creativity, and agility.
Dropping a red-hot striker might seem outrageous today, but if Ejuke or Lookman dance past defenders next week and Osimhen fires Nigeria through, no one will be talking about Trabzonspor’s goal king.
Ultimately, Eric Chelle’s job is not to pick the most popular players, but the right ones. And in football, sometimes bravery looks like leaving your best finisher at home.
For now, Chelle deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Eric Chelle’s full Super Eagles squad
- Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania), Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy)
- Defenders: William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia), Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), Benjamin Fredricks (Dender FC, Belgium)
- Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)
- Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey), Moses Simon (Paris FC, France), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain), Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Jerome Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain), Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)