Stanley Nwabali: Super Eagles Goalkeeper Sends Cryptic Post After Return to National Team
- Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali shared a Snapchat post referencing his AFCON 2025 heroics after returning to the Super Eagles squad
- Nwabali lost his place in the national team after leaving Chippa United in February and spending months without competitive club football
- Nigeria coach Eric Chelle now has three goalkeepers competing for the number-one spot ahead of the September AFCON 2027 qualifiers
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Stanley Nwabali has broken his silence on returning to the Super Eagles with a pointed social media post, days after coach Eric Chelle included him in Nigeria's squad for the September 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The post arrives after an extended period away from international football for the 30-year-old, whose absence from the Super Eagles followed a turbulent stretch both at club and international level.
Source: Getty Images
The Chippa United goalkeeper posted a video on Snapchat replaying his penalty saves against Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush during Nigeria's bronze-medal win over Egypt at AFCON 2025. He captioned the clip:
"I'm back, it's time to keep crying 😂."
Nwabali moves from AFCON hero to the sidelines
Nwabali was arguably Nigeria's standout player at AFCON 2025.
He saved penalties from both Salah and Marmoush as the Super Eagles beat Egypt 4-2 on spot kicks to claim the bronze medal, earning Man of the Match recognition in the process.
However, his fortunes shifted sharply after the tournament.
According to Tribal Football, the 30-year-old goalkeeper departed Chippa United in February, with a move to another club widely anticipated. However, no transfer came through, and the extended period without competitive football cost him his Super Eagles spot.
Maduka Okoye stepped into the role during Nwabali's absence, starting Nigeria's June friendlies against Poland and Portugal.
The Udinese goalkeeper's performances sparked genuine debate about whether Chelle had settled on a new first choice.
Okonkwo enters the picture
A third goalkeeper also emerged as a serious contender during this period.
Arthur Okonkwo, a former Arsenal academy player, received his first senior Nigeria call-up after FIFA approved his switch of allegiance.
He went on to debut at the 2026 Unity Cup, starting both matches and keeping clean sheets in the 2-0 win over Zimbabwe and the 3-0 victory against Jamaica.
Okonkwo's performances added further pressure on all three goalkeepers and intensified competition for the number-one shirt.
Nwabali fights his way back
Nwabali's path back to the Super Eagles opened up in July, when Chippa United confirmed that the goalkeeper had returned five months after leaving, with the club saying he had "taken time away" before coming back to the Eastern Cape.
The Super Eagles goalkeeper quickly reclaimed his starting place and made an immediate impact, earning Man of the Match recognition after producing six saves and keeping a clean sheet against Golden Arrows.
That run of form convinced Chelle to recall Nwabali for the September qualifiers alongside Okoye and Okonkwo.
Chelle trains 23 Super Eagles stars
Earlier, Legit.ng reported about the Super Eagles’ preparations for their 2027 AFCON qualifier against Madagascar, as 22 players, including Wilfred Ndidi and Samuel Chukwueze, trained in Uyo as coach Eric Chelle worked on his plans for Friday’s Group L opener.
Maduka Okoye remains the only invited player yet to arrive in camp, adding an interesting twist to the goalkeeping battle.
Source: Legit.ng
