Nigeria Super Eagles’ head coach Gernot Rohr confirmed the final 23 man squad for AFCON 2019 coming up in Egypt.
Team skipper John Mikel Obi currently at Middlesbrough Football Club leads the galaxy of stars on the team.
Obi, who recently returned from retirement is among the five midfielders named.
The other midfielders include; Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England), Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England) and Israel based John Ogu who features at Hapoel Be’er Sheva Football Club.
Arsenal’s Alexander Iwobi is named among the forwards alongside Galatasaray’s Henry Onyekuru.
The other forwards are; Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia), Victor Osimhen (Royal Charleroi, Belgium), Simon Moses (Levante, Spain), Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China), Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France), Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjylland, Denmark) and Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal, Spain).
There are seven defenders that make the 23 man team.
These are; Olaoluwa Aina (Torino, Italy), Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey), Chidozie Awaziem (Rizespor, Turkey), William Ekong (Udinese, Italy), Leon Balogun (Brighton, England), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain) and Collins Jamilu of OC Padeborn 07 in Germany.
Only one home based player makes this team in Katsina United’s Ezenwa Ikechukwu.
The two other goalkeepers are Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus) and Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa).
Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho and Rotherham United midfielder Semi Ajayi are some of the shocking omissions.
The three-time AFCON winners are housed in Group B alongside Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi.
They open up their tournament against CECAFA representatives Burundi on 22 June at the Alexandria Stadium in Alexandria city.
Nigeria Super Eagles’ 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Katsina United), Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino, Italy), Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey), Chidozie Awaziem (Rizespor, Turkey), William Ekong (Udinese, Italy), Leon Balogun (Brighton, England), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain), Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany)
Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Middlesbrough, England), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England), Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City, England), John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia), Victor Osimhen (Royal Charleroi, Belgium), Simon Moses (Levante, Spain), Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray SK, Turkey), Odion Ighalo (Shanghai Shenhua, China), Alexander Iwobi (Arsenal, England), Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France), Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjylland, Denmark), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal, Spain)
