Nigerian football fans are in shock after Super Eagles head coach, Éric Sékou Chelle, excluded in-form midfielder Christantus Uche and prolific striker Cyriel Dessers from his final 23-man squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The omission of Uche and Dessers has sparked outrage, especially given their impressive performances for their clubs this season. Uche, a rising star at Getafe, has delivered standout performances in Spain’s La Liga, while Dessers has been a key player for Rangers in Scotland.
New Faces in the Squad
Despite dropping Uche and Dessers, Chelle has introduced four new players: Tolu Arokodare, Papa Daniel Mustapha, Igoh Ogbu, and Kayode Bankole. The final squad also includes key players such as goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Kayode Bankole, defenders William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Olaoluwa Aina, midfielders Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi, and forwards Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, and Moses Simon.
Several experienced players, including Kelechi Iheanacho, Maduka Okoye, Zaidu Sanusi, Frank Onyeka, Chidera Ejuke, and Ahmed Musa, were also left out. However, it is Uche and Dessers’ exclusion that has sparked the most debate.
Why Was Uche Dropped?
Uche has been one of the breakout stars of the season. After moving from Ceuta, a third-division club in Spain, to Getafe last summer, the 21-year-old midfielder has quickly become an integral part of the team.
In 31 appearances across all competitions, he has scored three goals and provided three assists. His passing accuracy, ability to control the midfield, and work rate have attracted interest from top European clubs, including Chelsea.
Uche was even nominated for La Liga’s U-23 Player of the Month award in February 2025, competing against Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Valencia’s Javi Guerra. His performance in Getafe’s recent 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid further highlighted his quality, as he delivered an impressive display with key passes, tackles, interceptions, and recoveries.
Despite all these achievements, Chelle opted to leave him out, selecting Southampton’s Joseph Ayodele-Aribo instead— a decision that has left many puzzled.
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Dessers’ Exclusion Sparks Outrage
Dessers, 30, has been in exceptional form for Rangers, scoring 22 goals and providing six assists in all competitions this season. In 2024 alone, he has netted 10 goals and contributed three assists in just 13 matches.
Only Victor Osimhen, with 23 goals and five assists, has matched Dessers’ numbers among Nigerian players in Europe. Even Victor Boniface, who was selected ahead of Dessers, has managed just two goals this year after returning from injury.
Dessers’ international record also makes his omission surprising. Unlike Boniface, who has struggled in Osimhen’s absence, Dessers has already scored twice for Nigeria. Many fans expected him to be a key backup striker for the qualifiers.
Chelle, however, chose Real Sociedad loanee Sadiq Umar, who has scored just five goals in 10 games for Valencia since joining in January. This decision has left fans questioning the criteria used for squad selection.
Fans Express Frustration
Following the squad announcement, Nigerian football fans took to social media to voice their disappointment.
Pamela Taiye tweeted, “So Dessers was dropped for Sadiq Umar? We are in danger of missing out on the World Cup, and you people are still doing politics.”
Another fan, Clinton Eleto, asked, “Aribo over Uche???”
User @_luvnlight wrote, “The NFF is very unfair to Dessers. He’s currently our best No. 9 after Osimhen this season. Why was he left out?”
Tosin Adeda added, “On current form, Dessers ahead of Boniface for me. What else does he have to do?”
Nigeria will face Group C leaders Rwanda in Kigali on Friday, March 21, before taking on Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on March 25.
Currently sitting in fifth place in Group C, the Super Eagles must win both matches to improve their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. With two in-form players left out of the squad, Coach Chelle will be under immense pressure to justify his selections.