Nigeria vs Russia: 19 Super Eagles players available for international friendly
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineThe Super Eagles will have 19 players available for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia after seven members of the squad withdrew for different reasons.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the withdrawals were caused by injuries, clubs refusing to release their players and a travel document issue.
The NFF said in a statement on Sunday: “Refusal by some Clubs to release their players, coupled with injuries to notable names, have seriously weakened Nigeria’s Super Eagles squad ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly match against Russia’s senior men national team.”
Captain Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola, Victory Akpe, Moses Usor and Suleiman Mubarak are all unavailable for the encounter.
According to the NFF, Ndidi and Akpe were ruled out because of injuries, while Onyedika, Osayi-Samuel and Popoola were prevented from travelling by their respective clubs.
Usor, who earned his call-up after scoring on his Nigeria debut against Madagascar, was also stopped from travelling by his Austrian club, LASK.
Mubarak, meanwhile, could not obtain the residence permit needed for his trip to Russia.
The withdrawals initially reduced head coach Éric Chelle’s squad in Russia to 18 players before late invitee Ibrahim Ajasa of FC Rostov joined the camp, bringing the number to 19.
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- Nigeria vs Russia: 19 Super Eagles players available for international friendly
The Super Eagles had their final training session at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Monday evening as they completed preparations for the friendly.
Nigeria will take on Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday as the Super Eagles look to respond after their 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last week.
The two teams last met in June 2025, when they played out a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
Full list of 19 players available
Goalkeepers
Michael Atata — Ikorodu City
Samuel James — SJK FC, Finland
Stanley Nwabali — Chippa United, South Africa
Defenders
Kenneth Igboke — Enugu Rangers
Isaac James — Alverca FC, PortugalBenjamin Fredricks — Brentford FC, England
Emmanuel Fernandez — Glasgow Rangers, Scotland
Abdullahi Bewene — FC Banik Ostrava, Czechia
Midfielders
Chibuzo Nwoke — Fulham FC, England
Stephen Michael — Vendsyssel FF, Denmark
Igor Wilfred — Kristiansund FC, Norway
Aderemi Adeoye — Ikorodu City
Forwards
Kelechi Iheanacho — Bursaspor FC, Turkey
Moses Simon — Paris FC, France
Akor Adams — Venezia FC, Italy
Peter Edokpolor — SL Benfica, Portugal
Abubakar Umar — FC Famalicao, Portugal
Abdullahi Umar — Hradec Kralove, Czechia
Ibrahim Ajasa — FC Rostov, Russia
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