Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will be without some of their top talents at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup after European clubs refused to release key players for the competition.
German side Hoffenheim turned down requests from the Nigeria Football Federation, meaning Emmanuel Chukwu and Precious Benjamin will not feature in Chile. French outfit Stade Reims also declined to release striker Ibrahim Hafiz. The trio are seen as important prospects for the team.
Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has reshaped his plans and confirmed a 21-man squad that excludes several overseas-based players. Enyimba winger Clinton Jephta, Bidemi Amole, and Divine Oliseh—who played during the WAFU B qualifiers in Togo—did not make the final list. Captain Daniel Bameyi will lead the side, with more than 10 players retaining their spots from training camps and recent friendlies.
New faces in the team include Israel Ayuma, Ebenezer Harcourt, Charles Agada, Auwal Ibrahim, Kparobo Arierhi, Tahir Maigana, and Odinaka Okoro. Defender Adamu Maigari misses out due to a knee injury.
The squad departed Abuja for Chile on Sunday night, while Norway-based midfielder Daniel Daga is set to link up with the squad ahead of their opening game.
The Flying Eagles, who finished runners-up in 1989 and 2005, are targeting their first-ever U-20 World Cup crown. At the last edition in Argentina, they bowed out in the quarter-finals after losing to South Korea. The 2025 tournament will take place from September 27 to October 20 in Chile.
