Ahmed Musa Reacts After Eric Chelle Left Him Out Of Super Eagles Squad
- Eric Chelle announced his final 23-man squad yesterday ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
- Chelle dropped 16 players from his initial 39-man provisional squad, including captain Ahmed Musa
- The Kano Pillars attacker has offered his thoughts on the team after being overlooked for the final squad
Eric Chelle dropped 16 players from his initial 39-man provisional squad, including Ahmed Musa, and the Super Eagles captain has offered his reaction to his exclusion.
Chelle has the big responsibility of turning around Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign after a poor start of three points from the opening four games.
The manager’s first games in that qualifying series will be against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, and there have been a lot of expectations and scrutiny about his squad selection.
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As seen on Super Eagles' X page, the manager dropped 16 players from the provisional list, and many of those exclusions raised eyebrows, including Ahmed Musa.
Musa reacts to Super Eagles snub
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has opened up about his exclusion from the final squad despite widespread expectations that he would return to the team after two years.
He did not sound hurt but instead urged the players invited to get the job done as he will be doing his best to support them from home.
“The team is one, and any player called upon to do battle for the Super Eagles must give his all. I am totally in support of the team, and I will be cheering the team to victory in these World Cup qualifier matches,” he told Modzero Sports.
The Kano Pillars attacker has been the Super Eagles' captain since 2019 when Mikel Obi announced his international retirement. He is the most-capped Nigerian player, with 110 appearances.
The pacy winger holds the record for most goals by a Nigerian player at the FIFA World Cup with four and is the only Super Eagles star to score at two Mundials.
Musa has not played for the team since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He had a limited role at the tournament, with William Troost-Ekong taking the captain’s armband.
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His time in the national team appears to be over after missing out on the squad despite meeting Chelle, who was in Kano to watch him play for Pillars against Enugu Rangers.
He played at four AFCONs: 2013, 2019, 2021 and 2023, helping Nigeria win in his first outing in South Africa. He also played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, scoring in both.
Nigerian OAP and sports analyst Taiwo Majek applauds Musa‘s reaction to his exclusion, claiming a player like him shouldn't have made that provisional list if he was not going to make the final squad.
“There was no reason to have Musa in the provisional squad if he was not going to be in the final list. We could do better in respecting his legacy and service to the national team,” he told Legit.ng.
“However, he has reacted with class as always, recognising that the team needs his support regardless of if he is with them or not.”
Players Chelle shouldn't have dropped
Legit.ng analysed players that should have been included in Super Eagles' squad after Eric Chelle dropped 16 players from his initial 39-man provisional squad.
Ahmed Musa was one of the players overlooked who could have been drafted in for reasons of experience and leadership, which was praised during AFCON 2023.
Maduka Okoye reacts to Super Eagles' snub
Legit.ng reported that Maduka Okoye reacted to his exclusion from the Super Eagles’ final 23-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later this month.
Okoye returned to action for Udinese against Lazio a night before the announcement after a three-month injury layoff but was excluded for ‘fitness reasons.’
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
