Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle says Nigeria will not be derailed by the absence of three key defenders as the country begins its quest for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria will compete at AFCON 2025 without Benjamin Fredrick, Ola Aina and former captain William Troost-Ekong, a trio who played significant roles in the team’s recent defensive structure. Yet Chelle insists the situation is one he has accepted calmly, backing his replacements to step up on the continent’s biggest stage.
Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s Group opener against Tanzania on Tuesday, the former Mali coach made it clear that his confidence in the squad remains unshaken.
“I am not worried. I trust my guys. Of course I would have loved to have all of the players in the team. We will work a lot on defence but it is not only about the defenders but all the players as a whole,” Chelle said at the prematch press-conference as monitored by Soccernet.ng.
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Super Eagles at AFCON 2025: Defensive changes, fresh faces and leadership gaps
The absences represent a significant shift at the back for Nigeria.
Benjamin Fredrick, one of the revelations of the year, had rapidly become one of Chelle’s most trusted defensive options before suffering an injury in November that ruled him out of the tournament.
Ola Aina, a key figure in Nigeria’s run to silver at AFCON last year, has also been sidelined. The Nottingham Forest full-back has only recently returned to action with the club’s reserve side after a lengthy injury lay-off and was omitted from the squad as he continues to rebuild fitness.
The most high-profile loss, however, is William Troost-Ekong. The former Watford defender retired from international football just weeks before the tournament, stepping away as Super Eagles captain. He leaves as the Most Valuable Player of the previous AFCON, the first Nigerian defender to receive the honour.
In response, Chelle has recalled Chidozie Awaziem, handed a first senior call-up to Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, and included Slavia Prague centre-back Igoh Ogbu, who is set to experience his first AFCON.
Despite the lack of tournament experience among some of his defenders, Chelle believes the blend of youth and familiarity will serve Nigeria well.
Chelle: Focused on Tanzania and the bigger prize
Beyond selection concerns, Chelle’s attention is firmly on Nigeria’s opening fixture against Tanzania, a game he describes as critical.
“We are happy to be here. For this game, it is a big one because this is the first match of the AFCON and the first game is very important every time and for sure, we want to win this game.”
Chelle also brushed aside questions about his long-term future with the Super Eagles, insisting that discussions with the Nigeria Football Federation will wait until after the tournament.
“I am only focused on this tournament, I will have a meeting with my football association about everything but my focus at the moment is about the tournament and my players.”
Nigeria face Tanzania on Tuesday as they launch their AFCON 2025 campaign, aiming to lay down an early marker in Morocco and prove that depth, not just star names, can carry them towards continental glory.
