AFCON 2025: Yakubu Aiyegbeni Names What the Current Super Eagles Squad Lack
- Yakubu Aiyegbeni is not confident with the calibre of midfielders who will represent Nigeria at the 2025 AFCON tournament
- The former Super Eagles striker stated that the invited players are defensive-oriented, unlike the likes of Sunday Oliseh
- He maintained that the current national team set up lacks creative midfielders, who have the quality of dominating big matches
Former Nigerian international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has disclosed what the Super Eagles lack as they prepare for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The three-time African champions are drawn in Group C, along with Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, as they seek a fourth continental title.
Having missed out on qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Super Eagles will hope to appease their fans by winning the AFCON title.
Source: Getty Images
Coach Eric Chelle has named his final 28-man team to the competition, filled with eight midfielders, including Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka.
Other players that can start in the middle are Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Raphael Onuedika, Usman Muhammed, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Tochukwu Nnadi, per All Nigeria Soccer.
However, former striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni disclosed that the squad lacks a typical midfielder like former skipper Sunday Oliseh.
According to the former Portsmouth striker, the midfielders in the current team are defensive-oriented and lack the ability to control matches at the highest level.
Yakubu said on Home Turf Podcast:
"We need a proper midfielder who can pass the ball because we have too many defensive midfielders. We have Ndidi and Onyeka, they can only pass the ball sideways.
"We are lucky Ndidi passed one to Ejuke (against Gabon). I don't want to go back in our days. We had Oliseh, who can pass the ball, switch the play.
"We need a creative midfielder who can pass the ball very well, so we are lacking that. That's the most important thing for us, we don't have it. We don't dominate games. We need a proper midfielder who can change and dominate the game."
AFCON call-up excites Akinsanmiro
Meanwhile, Inter Milan star Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has expressed excitement as he makes the Super Eagles squad heading to the tournament in Morocco.
The 21-year-old stated that playing for the Super Eagles is a dream come true, having attempted to play for the national youth teams in the past. He said:
"When I saw the invitation, I called someone close to me and started to cry. It has been my dream for so long. I’ve been trying to play for the national team since the U-17 and U-20 levels.
"It has been my dream for a very long time. I’ve tried to play for the national team since the U-17 and U-20 levels. There were times I felt maybe I wasn’t good enough."
Source: Getty Images
Mikel urges Super Eagles to win AFCON
Legit.ng earlier reported that Mikel Obi, who was a member of the Super Eagles squad between 2005 and 2019, urged the team to go for the title.
He was part of the Super Eagles squad that won the coveted AFCON title in 2013 under the tutelage of Stephen Keshi.
Source: Legit.ng
