Nigeria Super Eagles stars Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina, and Ademola Lookman. Photo by IMAGO
Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has given Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle a timely boost ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers, confirming his return to full fitness following an injury layoff, Soccernet.ng reports.
Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles in January, is preparing to lead Nigeria against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in crucial March qualifiers.
With the team struggling in their qualifying campaign so far, the Malian coach will be eager to call upon his best players, making Ndidi’s return a significant development.
A key figure in previous Nigeria squads, the 28-year-old midfielder missed a large part of December and January due to injury.
However, he made his return earlier this month, captaining Leicester City in their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United before completing 90 minutes in a hard-fought 2-0 loss to Arsenal at the King Power Stadium.
Having now played 180 minutes in a week, Ndidi, who is on the transfer radar of Atletico Madrid and Monaco, provided an update on his fitness, reassuring fans and his national team coach of his condition.
“I feel great and amazing,” he told LCFC. “There are a lot of games coming up, so I need to look after myself and keep going.”
Reflecting on Leicester’s performance against Arsenal, Ndidi remained positive despite the defeat.
The Foxes held firm for much of the contest but were undone by two late goals from Mikel Merino.
“It was a difficult game, quite a tough game,” Ndidi added.
“We stayed on it until they scored the first goal. We knew we were still in the game. We were just unlucky to concede that first one. We were together, stayed compact, and everyone was in it.”
Despite Arsenal’s dominance in possession, Leicester looked dangerous on the counterattack, with Ndidi himself getting two chances in the first half.
However, the Foxes were unable to break the deadlock before Merino’s late brace sealed the win for the title-chasing Gunners.
“We’re a bit gutted because we conceded two, and we should have stayed more in the game,” he admitted. “That was the only thing. It was unlucky. Overall, we are pleased with the performance until they scored the goal.
“Of course, we know they are very good at keeping the ball and positioning, so we tried to stick together and break on the counter,” he explained. “That’s why, when we got the ball, we went forward quickly. We knew the game plan, and we stuck to it.”
Leicester’s focus now shifts to their next Premier League fixture against Brentford, a match that could be crucial in their battle for survival after earning promotion as EFL Championship winners last season.
With Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, Ndidi’s return to full fitness is also a major boost for the Super Eagles.
Having already featured in 16 Premier League matches this season despite injury setbacks, the Leicester midfielder looks ready to reclaim his spot in the national team as Nigeria seeks to revive their qualification hopes.
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