Isaac James, Victory Akpe, George Ilenikhena, Mubarak Suleiman and nine others receive first senior invitations as Nigeria weighs emerging talents for upcoming fixtures
Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle, has handed first senior invitations to 13 players as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and an international friendly against Russia.
The latest call-ups provide an opportunity for Chelle to assess emerging Nigerian talents, with the new players featuring across the squads assembled for the upcoming fixtures.
The 13 new players are:
- Isaac James — 22-year-old versatile defender of Alverca in Portugal. He can operate as a left-back, wing-back or left centre-back.
- Victory Akpe — 19-year-old centre-back who plays for Swiss club Basel. The tall defender previously featured in Lithuania and Hungary.
- Samuel James — Young goalkeeper of Finnish club SJK. He previously represented Nigeria at youth level with the Flying Eagles.
- Chibuzo Nwoko — 20-year-old left-footed central midfielder who developed through Fulham’s academy after spending time in Chelsea’s youth system. He previously represented England at Under-18 level before switching his international allegiance to Nigeria.
- Stephen Fumelu — 19-year-old midfielder who plays for Danish club Vendsyssel FF. He is known for his box-to-box style of play.
- Igor Wilfred — 21-year-old central/defensive midfielder who plays for Norwegian club Kristiansund.
- Abdulrasaq Popoola (Ridwan Popoola) — 19-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Al-Wasl in the United Arab Emirates.
- Mubarak Suleiman — 19-year-old attacking midfielder with Czech club Slavia Prague. He emerged from Right2Win Academy in Abuja and has featured prominently at youth level.
- Moses Usor — 24-year-old winger of Austrian club LASK. The left-footed attacker can operate on either flank and was part of LASK’s recent successful domestic campaign.
- George Ilenikhena — 20-year-old striker who developed in France with Amiens before playing for Royal Antwerp and Monaco. He later moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.
- Peter Edokpolor — 19-year-old forward with Benfica in Portugal. The tall attacker can play as a centre-forward or from the wing.
- Umar Abubakar — 20-year-old striker of Portuguese club Famalicão. He previously represented Nigeria at Under-17 level and impressed during a loan spell in Belgium.
- Umar Abdullahi (Abdullahi Umar) — 19-year-old striker who plays for Czech club Hradec Králové. He previously recorded an impressive goalscoring run at Under-19 level.
The latest invitations reflect Chelle’s continued efforts to expand the Super Eagles player pool while giving promising young Nigerians an opportunity to compete at senior international level.
The new players will be assessed alongside established Super Eagles stars as Nigeria prepares for its upcoming competitive and friendly fixtures.
