The Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, has been dealt a significant setback less than three weeks before the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Defender's Demand and Withdrawal
Hamburger SV defender Jordan Torunarigha has reportedly turned down an invitation to be part of Nigeria's provisional squad for the continental tournament. According to reports, the 28-year-old centre-back demanded assurances from coach Eric Chelle's technical crew that he would be included in the final 23-man roster before agreeing to join the camp.
This demand is said to be the reason the provisional list, released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday, December 2, contained 54 players instead of the intended 55. The NFF released the list just eight days before the December 10 submission deadline set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Torunarigha's History with the Super Eagles
Torunarigha, who switched his international allegiance from Germany to Nigeria in 2023, has had limited involvement since his debut. He received his first call-up under former coach José Peseiro for a friendly against São Tomé and Príncipe in September 2023. His official debut came later as a 75th-minute substitute in a 3-2 friendly win over Mozambique.
His recent experience with the team may have influenced his decision. Chelle invited him for the World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, where he replaced Nathan Tella. However, Torunarigha remained an unused substitute in both matches and was subsequently left out of the squad for October's qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
In the current 2025/26 Bundesliga season, the former Hertha BSC and Gent player has featured in five matches for Hamburger SV, recording no goals, assists, or yellow cards.
AFCON Preparations and Other Squad News
Coach Eric Chelle now faces the task of trimming the extensive 54-man provisional list down to the final 23 players by December 10, which is 11 days before the tournament kicks off on December 21. The large provisional squad, notably containing 23 forwards, has already sparked considerable debate among Nigerian football fans on social media.
In other significant team news, it was previously reported that William Troost-Ekong has been stripped of the Super Eagles captaincy. The former Watford defender has chosen to focus on his club commitments following controversies during the World Cup qualifying playoffs. Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi is set to lead the team in Morocco.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group C of AFCON 2025 alongside Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda. The three-time champions, whose last title came in 2013 thanks to Sunday Mba's famous final winner against Burkina Faso, will be aiming to lift their fourth continental trophy.
