Super Eagles: Who is Vince Osuji? Nigeria’s newest invitee for the Russia clash

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will play against Russia next Tuesday, and Vince Osuji has received his first invitation to the national team after Akpe Victory was ruled out of the clash, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 20-year-old centre-back was called up from Norwegian side Tromsø IL on Friday after Basel defender Akpe was ruled out of the October 6 encounter in Nizhny Novgorod.

Osuji is one of the youngest players in Chelle’s plans and arrives in the national team setup at an interesting point in his career. The Lagos-born defender has already experienced football in Sweden, Belgium and Norway, despite only turning 20 last April.

His journey from Nigerian academy football to European football has also been quick, with Osuji moving abroad at 18 and attracting interest from several top clubs before eventually joining Belgian giants Club Brugge, winning the Belgian Pro League title alongside Raphael Onyedika.

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From De Cardinal Academy to Sweden

Osuji's football journey began at De Cardinal Football Academy in Nigeria, where his performances eventually attracted the attention of Swedish club Kalmar FF.

Kalmar's sporting director Jörgen Petersson revealed that the club first saw Osuji during a scouting trip to Nigeria.

“He stood out and was very strong in his defensive play and constructive in his offensive play,” Petersson said after Kalmar signed the youngster.

The Swedish club had initially invited Osuji for a trial in the summer of 2023 before continuing to monitor his development. Kalmar eventually completed the move the following year, when Osuji was still only 18.

His senior breakthrough followed a few months later. Osuji made his Allsvenskan debut against AIK on July 7, 2024, starting at centre-back alongside Lars Sætra before scoring his first senior goal against Malmö FF the following month.

By the end of his first senior season in Europe, Osuji had made 16 appearances for Kalmar and scored once. His performances put him on the radar of several European clubs.

Chelsea, Ajax and Genk interest

Osuji's rapid rise at Kalmar did not go unnoticed. The Nigerian defender was linked with several clubs, including Chelsea, Ajax, Genk and Reims, but Club Brugge eventually won the race.

In January 2025, the Belgian champions signed Osuji from Kalmar for €3m and handed him a contract running until June 2029.

Osuji's time at Club Brugge did not develop as quickly as he might have hoped. Instead of becoming a regular for the Belgian champions, he spent much of his time with Club NXT, the club's youth team

He also made one senior Belgian Pro League appearance for Club Brugge, although he played in the two games in the Croky Cup.

That experience was valuable, but it was clear that Osuji needed regular senior football to continue his development, which led to his next move.

Vince Osuji moved to Norway

Tromsø IL signed Osuji from Club Brugge in August 2026, giving the defender another chance to establish himself, particularly on the premise of regular football.

The two-time Norwegian Cup winners registered him in time for their UEFA Conference League qualifying ties against Brighton & Hove Albion.

He did not feature in either match against the Premier League club, but he began receiving regular opportunities domestically soon afterwards.

His most recent appearance came in the Norwegian Cup against Alta on September 16, when he played 44 minutes in Tromsø's 2-1 victory.

@NGSuperEagles update

Out 📤

Victory Akpe
Wilfred Ndidi

In 📥

Vince Osuji
John Otomewo#disfootballsef pic.twitter.com/iIMAF8kKzw

— Andrew Randa (@RandaAndrew) October 2, 2026

What type of defender is Osuji?

Osuji is primarily a right-footed centre-back and stands at 1.88m, although he can also operate as a defensive midfielder.

That versatility could be useful to Chelle, considering the coach's desire to use the Russia friendly to examine players outside his established group.

Away from his physical strength, the latest Super Eagles invitee is also adept when it comes to building up play from the back, as he likes to contribute in possession.

A chance to enter the Super Eagles picture

Osuji's invitation has arrived earlier than many might have expected. He was not part of the original 24-man squad announced for the Russia friendly, but Akpe's withdrawal created an opening in defence.

Chelle has now chosen Osuji to fill it. The Franco-Malian tactician has already introduced younger players such as Benjamin Fredrick and Emmanuel Fernandez since taking charge as Nigeria's coach in January 2025.

Osuji now has an opportunity to put himself into that conversation. The Russia friendly is not an AFCON qualifier, meaning Chelle has greater freedom to experiment with his squad as there's no pressure to win.

For Osuji, the importance of the opportunity goes beyond one match. He has already moved from Nigerian academy football to senior football in Sweden, a contract with Club Brugge and a fresh start in Norway.

Now, at 20, he has his first senior Super Eagles call-up. The next step is for the defender to keep things simple and prove he deserves the opportunity handed to him.