AFCON 2025: Ex-Chelsea man slams NPFL stars as Eric Chelle names five in Nigeria’s 55-man squad

Former Chelsea defender and long-serving Nigeria international Kenneth Omeruo has urged players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to raise their competitive mentality if they hope to feature more regularly for the national team, Soccernet.ng reports.

Omeruo's remarks come after Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle named five NPFL players in his 55-man provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to begin in Morocco on December 21.

The selected home-based players include: Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos, goalkeeper), Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors, defender), Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes, attacker), Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United, attacker) and Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves, attacker)

Only one of the five, Harcourt, was part of Nigeria’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) squad in August, a team made up entirely of NPFL players and also led by Chelle. That squad crashed out in the group stage, prompting renewed scrutiny of the quality and preparedness of domestic-league talent.

Adding to the intrigue, none of the NPFL players who appeared to have impressed during the Unity Cup in London back in May made the provisional AFCON squad, raising questions about Chelle’s evolving selection criteria.

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‘They don’t compete' – Omeruo backs Chelle, criticises Nigeria's PFL player attitude

Offering his own perspective of the debate regarding Chelle’s choices of NPFL players, Omeruo insists the coach is not at fault. Instead, he argued that NPFL players must adopt a stronger mindset when invited to the national team.

“Most of the players who come to the national team from the local leagues now, they just come to complete the team, to train. They don’t compete,” Omeruo told Brila.

“You have to come into the national team with the confidence that you want to be selected in games, not just coming to say, ‘Okay, I just came to complete the team, get the experience, and move on.'”

Omeruo also referenced the Unity Cup, adding:

“A few even went to the Unity Cup in London, and after that tournament, they went on to sign for clubs overseas.”

Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali remains the only NPFL alumnus in the current Super Eagles core. The five NPFL players named in the provisional squad are not expected to make the final 28-man roster, barring major surprises.

Nigeria, three-time African champions, are aiming for a fourth continental title in Morocco. The Super Eagles are drawn in Group F alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania, a group that demands discipline, depth, and elite-level competitiveness, qualities Omeruo believes NPFL stars must actively cultivate.