Ahmed Musa: Nigeria Captain Leaves Super Eagles Camp After Substitute Role Against Ghana

• Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has left Nigeria’s camp in London ahead of Unity Cup final due to personal reasons
• The Kano Pillars forward made his first appearance for the Super Eagles in 18 months during the 2-1 win over Ghana
• Nigeria will tackle Jamaica in the Unity Cup final on Saturday, May 31st, at the GTech Stadium

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has left Nigeria’s camp in London ahead of the 2025 Unity Cup final against Jamaica.

The veteran winger, who made his first appearance for the national team in over 18 months during Nigeria’s 2-1 win against Ghana, will miss the upcoming final scheduled for May 31.

Musa entered the game as a substitute in the 60th minute, contributing to Nigeria’s hard-fought victory against the Black Stars that secured a place in Saturday’s final against the Raggae Boyz.

The 32-year-old forward's return to the Super Eagles was a welcome boost to the squad, having been sidelined from national team action since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to fitness concerns following his departure from Turkish side Sivasspor.

Musa’s exit linked to upcoming wedding

According to reports from OwnGoal Nigeria, Musa's early exit from the Super Eagles camp was sanctioned by head coach Eric Chelle.

The former Leicester City forward’s departure is related to his forthcoming wedding, which is scheduled to take place on June 1 in Kaduna.

With the Unity Cup final set for May 31, Musa had to leave the squad to make adequate preparations.

Musa rejoined Kano Pillars in October 2023 after a short break from football and has since become a vital player in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), scoring 10 goals and providing two assists in 23 appearances.

The 32-year-old forward’s form earned him a recall to the Super Eagles for the Unity Cup, where he featured against Ghana.

Coach Eric Chelle will decide on Musa’s future involvement with the national team in the coming months, especially with World Cup qualifiers on the horizon in September.

Several players sit out final training

Musa was not the only notable absentee from Friday's training session.

According to 21st Century Chronicle, Wilfred Ndidi, Cyriel Dessers, and Semilore Ajayi all missed the session, while others who played extensively against Ghana were placed on light recovery drills.

Interestingly, Benjamin Fredrick of English Premier League side Brentford, who was not originally part of the squad, was spotted at the training ground.

The former ABS Ilorin defender participated in tactical sessions led by coach Chelle, hinting at a potential late inclusion or future involvement.

The Super Eagles will face Jamaica in the Unity Cup final at the GTech in London.

Musa makes a plea to fans

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Musa began his leadership duties by serving as a key link between the team and Nigerians ahead of the Unity Cup.

The senior national team captain arrived in London on Monday, May 26, alongside players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Remo Stars manager Daniel Ogunmodede, for the highly anticipated four-nation tournament.

Musa has urged Nigerians to throw their full support behind the team as they prepare to face the Black Stars of Ghana.

Source: Legit.ng