Super Eagles Squad Has Depth and Quality, Says Iroha

Former Super Eagles defender, Ben Iroha, has expressed confidence in the 54-man provisional squad released on Tuesday by Head Coach Eric Sekou Chelle ahead of preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, Completesports.com reports.

Iroha, a winner of the AFCON title in Tunisia in 1994, spoke to Completesports.com from his base in Texas, United States. While he expressed reservations until the final 23-man squad is named, he insisted that if the proper decisions are made, the Super Eagles have the potential to win their fourth AFCON title at Maroc ’25.

“I’ve seen the list. It is not a bad one. The coach will still have to prune it down to 23 players for the tournament,” Iroha told Completesports.com.

Eagles Need Hard Work, Organisation and Planning

“One thing is very clear: Nigeria is very rich in talent production. Except for maybe one or two players who are still plying their trade in the domestic league (NPFL), the rest are in top leagues across Europe.

Also Read: AFCON 2025: Chelle Unveils Super Eagles’ Provisional List

“So, the talent, quality and experience are there. What is needed now is hard work, organisation and good planning. With proper preparation and the right selection, this team has what it takes to deliver the AFCON title in Morocco.

“Of course, the AFCON title will be the only acceptable compensation for Nigerians after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team showed renewed vigour in the latter stages of the qualifiers. If they replicate that form at the AFCON — and possibly improve on it — Nigerians will have cause to be happy at the end of the tournament,” Iroha added.

Super Eagles Target Fourth AFCON Crown

The 2025 AFCON kicks off in Morocco on 21 December 2025, with the final scheduled for 18 January 2026.

Nigeria have won the tournament three times — 1980, 1994 and 2013 — and Coach Eric Sekou Chelle will be hoping to guide the Super Eagles to a historic fourth continental crown.

By Sab Osuji