Meet 13 new players in Chelle’s latest Super Eagles call-ups - Punch Newspapers

The newly invited super eagles players. Photo: NG Super Eagles

Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle, has handed first senior invitations to 13 players as he continues to expand his options for the national team. The new faces, drawn largely from clubs in Europe and the Middle East, include defenders, midfielders, goalkeepers and forwards, with several of them featuring in the squad for Nigeria’s international friendly against Russia while others have also been included in the squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Chelle is working with separate squads for the AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau and the subsequent friendly against Russia, with the latter providing an opportunity to assess younger players who could become part of the senior set-up. Here are the 13 players receiving their first senior call-ups: Isaac James The 22-year-old Alverca defender is a versatile left-back who can also play as a wing-back or left centre-back. James began his career with Garden City Panthers before moving through France and eventually to Portugal, where he has established himself as a regular starter for Alverca. He is among the new players included in both Chelle’s wider selection and the AFCON squad. Victory Akpe Akpe is a 19-year-old centre-back who has enjoyed a rapid rise in European football. The approximately 1.95m defender moved from Lithuania to Hungary before joining Swiss club Basel in 2026. His physical presence and ability to play out from the back have earned him his first invitation to the senior national team. The newly invited super eagles players. Photo: NG Super Eagles Samuel James The SJK goalkeeper is another youngster receiving his first senior call-up. The approximately 20-year-old shot-stopper came through Mavlon FC and previously represented Nigeria at youth level with the Flying Eagles. He has established himself in Finland and is now part of Chelle’s goalkeeping options. Chibuzo Nwoko Nwoko, 20, is a left-footed central midfielder who came through Fulham’s academy after spending time in Chelsea’s youth system. He has represented England at Under-18 level and recently made his senior club debut.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google The midfielder has switched his international allegiance to Nigeria and is now in line for his first Super Eagles appearance. Stephen Fumelu The 19-year-old central midfielder, also known as Stephen Michael, plays for Danish club Vendsyssel FF. Fumelu joined the club in 2025 and is regarded as an energetic box-to-box midfielder. His first senior invitation represents another opportunity for Chelle to assess young midfield options. Igor Wilfred Wilfred, 21, plays as a central or defensive midfielder for Norwegian club Kristiansund. He has become a regular starter in the Norwegian Eliteserien and has now earned his first invitation to the Super Eagles. Abdulrasaq Popoola The 19-year-old Al-Wasl midfielder, also known as Ridwan Popoola, stands at about 1.91m. Popoola began his career in Nigerian grassroots football before moving to Hungary, where he featured for Kisvárda, and subsequently joining Al-Wasl in 2026. He primarily operates as a defensive midfielder and has established himself as a regular starter for the UAE club. Meet Eagles’ new boys for Madagascar, G’Bissau AFCON qualifiers ‘Extraordinary Osimhen difficult to stop’ Hurzeler tips Azeez for Brighton chance after break The newly invited super eagles players. Photo: NG Super Eagles Mubarak Suleiman Suleiman, 19, plays for Czech club Slavia Prague. The attacking midfielder emerged from the Right2Win Academy in Abuja and attracted attention with his performances in the UEFA Youth League. He also scored following his senior debut for Slavia and recently extended his contract with the club until 2031. He is now in line for his first senior appearance for Nigeria. Moses Usor The 24-year-old LASK winger is one of the more experienced players among the new invitees. The left-footed forward mainly operates from the right wing and was an important player for LASK during their recent league-and-cup double. Usor is also included in the squad for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers. George Ilenikhena The Lagos-born striker, 20, developed in France with Amiens before moving to Royal Antwerp and Monaco. He scored in the Champions League during his time in Europe before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad in 2026. Eligible to represent both Nigeria and France, Ilenikhena has committed his international future to the Super Eagles and is also part of the AFCON squad. Peter Edokpolor The 19-year-old Benfica forward is a tall centre-forward who can also play from the wing. Edokpolor joined the Portuguese giants from Galadima FC and has progressed through the club’s Under-23 and B teams, with exposure to the first-team set-up. He has now received his first senior invitation from Nigeria. The newly invited super eagles players. Photo: NG Super Eagles Umar Abubakar Abubakar, 20, is a 1.90m striker who plays for Portuguese club Famalicão. The former Nigeria Under-17 player scored 21 goals during a loan spell at Jong Gent before earning a permanent move to Famalicão. His performances have now earned him his first Super Eagles call-up. Umar Abdullahi The 19-year-old Hradec Králové striker, also known as Abdullahi Umar, completes the list. Abdullahi made a strong impression at Under-19 level after scoring 25 goals in one season. He has since progressed to senior football in the Czech Republic, featuring in domestic league matches and European qualifiers. His invitation is his first at senior international level.   Chelle’s latest selections represent another step in his attempt to broaden the pool of players available to the Super Eagles. The coach had earlier indicated that he would operate with separate squads for the AFCON qualifiers and the Russia friendly, allowing him to retain established internationals for the competitive fixtures while assessing younger players for the future. The established names in the AFCON squad include Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon and Ola Aina, while the Russia squad contains a larger number of emerging players alongside some senior internationals. For the 13 new invitees, the call-ups provide their first opportunity to establish themselves within the senior Super Eagles set-up. Fawzi Kehinde Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.

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