Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has defended his decision not to invite additional foreign-based players ahead of Nigeria’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying playoff against Gabon in Morocco.
Speaking in an interview with Nigerian football legend Dr. Segun Odegbami on Eagle7 103.7 FM, Chelle said any new call-up must be significantly better than current key players such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, and Wilfred Ndidi. According to him, the existing squad already possesses the quality and balance needed for the playoff stage.
“It’s difficult to add more foreign players to the Super Eagles,” Chelle said. “People send me messages about players abroad, but my striker is Osimhen — he scores three goals a week. If you want to bring in anyone new, he must be better than Osimhen, Lookman, or Chukwueze.”
Chelle revealed that while he still reviews videos of suggested players, he rarely finds anyone capable of outperforming his current stars. “I watch them, but the reality is that we already have the players,” he noted. His comments appear to reinforce the idea that the national team’s success will depend on cohesion rather than an influx of untested talent.
The coach’s remarks come just weeks before Nigeria face Gabon in the first leg of the 2026 World Cup playoff. A victory would see the three-time African champions progress to face either DR Congo or Cameroon in the intercontinental playoffs for a place at the global tournament.
