The Nigerian national football team enters the final countdown to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations without having issued a formal declaration regarding the squad’s primary leadership. This vacancy emerged following the high-profile international retirements of veteran pillars William Troost-Ekong and Ahmed Musa just weeks before the tournament’s commencement. Troost-Ekong initiated the transition by announcing his departure from the team prior to the reduction of the preliminary 54-man squad to the final 28-player roster. The Al-Kholood center-back chose this moment to exit the international stage while his reputation remained at its peak following years of dedicated service.
On Wednesday, Ahmed Musa terminated ongoing speculation about his potential involvement in the Moroccan campaign by officially confirming his retirement from the national team. Musa concludes his historic tenure as the most-capped player in the history of Nigerian football with 111 appearances and holds the distinction of being the only Nigerian to find the net in two separate editions of the FIFA World Cup. Internal reports suggest that head coach Eric Chelle has finalized his decision to appoint Besiktas midfielder Wilfred Ndidi as the new substantive captain for the Super Eagles.
The coaching staff has reportedly established a broader leadership group where Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi will provide support to Ndidi as assistant captains. Uncertainty persists regarding whether the technical crew will integrate star forward Victor Osimhen into this official hierarchy to leverage his influence on the pitch. The Super Eagles expect to display this new leadership structure when they launch their quest for a fourth continental title against Tanzania.
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