National teams Squad Stars in Europe
stars in Europe - Uche not angry at Nigeria World Cup snub

The Villarreal striker was not picked by Keshi, despite scoring 12 goals in the Spanish top flight this season. Uche has not played for his country since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. The 30-year-old insists, however, that he holds no grudges against Keshi. "Of course as a professional footballer you'd love to represent your country, but I have never had bad words towards the national coach," Uche is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most reliable strikers at international level and is one of his nation's all-time top scorers, with 18 goals in 45 appearances, behind Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. 

More
10 May 2014
Featured Legends
LEGENDS - ‪‪FRANCE - ‪Thierry Henry‬ - the top-scorer

Thierry Daniel Henry, born 17 August 1977, is a French footballer who plays as a striker for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. In July 2008, Arsenal fans voted him as Arsenal's greatest player ever in Arsenal.com's Gunners' Greatest 50 Players poll. At Barcelona, Henry was given the number 14 jersey, the same as he had worn at Arsenal. 

More
8 May 2014
International Player National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 World Cup - squad - Shola Ameobi in provisional Nigeria squad

Stoke striker Peter Odemwingie and Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi are in Nigeria's provisional 30-man World Cup squad for Brazil 2014.

More
7 May 2014
Featured FIFA 100 Key-Player Legends
LEGENDS - ‪‪FRANCE - Patrick Vieira‬‬

He has 107 caps for France, and was part of their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides, as well as their runner-up finish in the 2006 World Cup. Vieira is currently Football Development Executive at Manchester City with a role to oversee aspects such as youth development, commercial partners and the club's social responsibility programme, "City in the Community".

More
5 May 2014
Club Stars in Europe Transfers
stars in Europe - Wilfried Bony - Ivory Coast striker happy at Swansea City

The Ivorian has scored 24 goals in all competitions since joining the Swans from Vitesse Arnhem for a club-record fee of £12m last summer. Bony, 25, has been the bright spot in a disappointing Premier League season. 

More
4 May 2014
Coaches National teams
NATIONAL TEAM - MOROCCO - COACH - former player Badou Zaki confirmed as new coach

Zaki takes charge of the Atlas Lions for the second time in his career.

More
3 May 2014
African Confederation Cup Club Coaches
club - coaches - Youssef resigns as Al Ahly coach

Al Ahly has accepted the resignation of coach Mohamed Youssef on Thursday. Youssef had been in charge of Al Ahly since May last year following the resignation Hossam El Badry.

More
2 May 2014
African Champions League Club Featured Transfers
African Champions League 2014 - Katumbi wants European-style investment

He believes that such a boost in finances will also mean more African players staying to play on the continent. "We are trying to offer the best things that we have to our players - it's really tough in Africa to maintain a club," he said. "I think the day African players remain on the continent, then Africa can win the World Cup.

More
1 May 2014
African Champions League National League
African Champions League 2014 - DR Congo rivals drawn together

TP Mazemebe, runners-up in last year's Confederation Cup, and AS Vita Club are fierce rivals

More
30 Apr 2014
African Confederation Cup Fixtures+Results
African Confederation Cup 2014: play offs - 2nd leg - fixtures & results

Fixtures and results for the 2014 Confed Cup.
2013 champions: CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)

Winners advance to group stage

More
29 Apr 2014
Coaches Key-Player National teams Stars in Europe

Africa Cup 2019 Qualifiers - Nigeria - Captain left out of Super Eagles squad

John Mikel Obi  Africa Cup 2019 QualifiersEmbed from Getty Images

Captain John Mikel Obi is the most notable absentee from Nigeria's squad for their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Seychelles and a friendly against Egypt later this month.

The 31-year-old, who has been impressive at English championship club Middlesbrough, has not played for his country since he captained the Super Eagles at last year's World Cup in Russia.

Despite public assurances from coach Gernot Rohr that Mikel would make a return, the player has been left out of the 23-man squad for the home fixtures in Asaba on 22 and 26 March respectively.

But the door appears to remain open for the former Chelsea star.

"The coach is very happy that Mikel is playing well for Middlesbrough at a very good level," team spokesman Toyin Ibitoye told BBC Sport.

"He's definitely part of the team but coach Rohr believes he has to take things easy with him so as not to overload him," Ibitoye added.

Rohr has handed maiden call-ups to uncapped Denmark-based striker Paul Onuachu and under-20 defender Valentine Ozornwafor, while there is a recall for former U-17 World Cup winner Victor Osimhen.

Struggling Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been overlooked after failing to score a goal for club or country since September, but England-based quintet of Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi and Oghenekaro Etebo are included.

Also present is the experienced quartet of Odion Ighalo, joint-top scorer in qualifying with six goals, Troost-Ekong, Ahmed Musa and John Ogu.

Champions in 2013, Nigeria have already secured qualification for this year's tournament in Egypt after failing to reach back-to-back events in 2015 and 2017.


Nigeria 23-man squad


Goalkeepers

Francis Uzoho 
(Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus)

Ikechukwu Ezenwa 
(Katsina United)

Daniel Akpeyi 
(Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa)


Defenders

Olaoluwa Aina 
(Torino, Italy)

Abdullahi Shehu 
(Bursaspor, Turkey)

Valentine Ozornwafor 
(Enyimba)

Chidozie Awaziem 
(Rizespor, Turkey)

William Troost-Ekong 
(Udinese, Italy)

Leon Balogun 
(Brighton & Hove Albion, England)

Kenneth Omeruo 
(Leganes, Spain)

Jamilu Collins 
(SC Padeborn, Germany)


Midfielders

Semi Ajayi 
(Rotherham United, England)

Wilfred Ndidi 
(Leicester City, England)

Oghenekaro Etebo 
(Stoke City, England)

John Ogu 
(Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel)


Forwards

Ahmed Musa 
(Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia)

Victor Osimhen 
(Charleroi SC, Belgium)

Moses Simon 
(Levante, Spain)

Henry Onyekuru 
(Galatasaray, Turkey)

Odion Ighalo 
(Shanghai Shenhua, China)

Alex Iwobi 
(Arsenal, England)

Samuel Kalu 
(Bordeaux, France)

Paul Onuachu 
(FC Midtjyland, Denmark)

 

 

 

5 Mar 2019
(BBC Sport by Alistair Magowan)

Related countries
Nigeria

Related articles