AFCON 2019: Iwobi, Ndidi, 18 other Nigerian stars who will be making debut

AFCON 2019: Iwobi, Ndidi, 18 other Nigerian stars who will be making debut

Ibitoye Shittu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:50 PM
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CAF AFCON
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- AFCON 2019 is now ten days to kickoff as 24 nations will fight for the title in Egypt

- Alex Iwobi, Ndidi, Shehu Abdullahi, Leon Balogun will all be making their AFCON debut for Nigeria

- Twenty out of the 23 players in Gernot Rohr's squad have never played in the African Cup of Nations

- The only three players in the squad who have featured are Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo

After missing the last two editions of the African Cup of Nations, Super Eagles of Nigeria will be making a return to the tournament this month, which will take place in Egypt.

Cameroon are the reigning champions of Africa after beating Egypt 2-1 in the 2017 final played in Gabon which was their fifth Nations Cup title.

Egypt players will want to redeem themselves in this year's championship which will take place at their backyard as they have Mohamed Salah to rely on.

However, Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr recently named his final 23-man squad for the 2019 AFCON in which Kelechi Iheanacho and Semi Ajayi were dropped from the team.

And out of all the 23 players who will be wearing Super Eagles jersey in Egypt, only three men have played before in the Nations Cup.

These three men are captain of the Super Eagles Mikel Obi, forward Ahmed Musa and defender Kenneth Omeruo.

Omeruo was superb for the Super Eagles the last time Nigeria won the Nations Cup in South Africa as his pairing with Godfrey Oboabona was rated as the best.

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In fact, former captain of the team Joseph Yobo had to sit on the bench for Oboabona, but went on to lift the title.

Below are the Super Eagles players who will be making AFCON debut

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi.

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Jamilu Collins.

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Okenekaro Etebo, John Ogu.

Forward: Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Samuel Chukwueze.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are in Group B in the 2019 AFCON where they will face Burundi, Guinea and Madagascar.

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Earlier, Legit.ng had reported how Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho was dropped by Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr ahead of Nigeria's campaign at the 2019 Nations Cup in Egypt.

Semi Ajayi who plays for English club Rotherham United was also reported to have been dropped by Gernot Rohr who was not impressed with his game.

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Ibitoye Shittu
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