How has Super Eagles AFCON 2025 squad evolved from 2023?

The Super Eagles have confirmed their list for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), and the differences from the squad that reached the final in Côte d’Ivoire two years ago are hard to miss.

The group heading to Morocco shows a team shifting into a new era, shaped by changes in coaching, form, fitness and circumstance. Many of the faces that carried Nigeria through AFCON 2023 are gone; in their place stand younger names who have forced their way up the ladder.

Nigeria’s last AFCON campaign under José Peseiro was built on a sturdy defensive block and a tight rotation. Peseiro is now long gone, and Eric Chelle has taken the reins with a wider pool, bolder ideas and a squad that reflects the realities of a team trying to rebuild its rhythm. The Super Eagles of 2025 are not a direct continuation of 2023, they are a reworked group, shaped by new legs and tough decisions.

What hasn’t changed is the demand on the team. Nigeria still enters the tournament expecting to challenge for the trophy, yet the path from Abidjan to Morocco has redrawn the depth chart.

Senior players have stepped aside, others have drifted out of the picture, while emerging talents have seized their openings.

What’s changed between AFCON 2023 and AFCON 2025

Several players in the AFCON 2025 squad were not part of the 2023 roster – 10, to be exact. Ryan Alebiosu, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Salim Fago and Tochukwu Nnadi represent a younger, more adventurous phase of the squad.

Cyriel Dessers, Chidera Ejuke and Akor Adams have also broken into the team, showing progress in European leagues where their consistency earned Chelle’s trust. These names form a different layer of depth compared to 2023, where the team leaned heavily on established internationals.

Some experienced names are not returning to the squad this time around. Ahmed Musa, Nigeria’s most-capped player, is now close to drawing the curtain on his international journey. While he didn’t feature at AFCON 2023, his era unofficially ends as Chelle moves forward with a younger frontline. 

Joe Aribo, who was part of the setup through the 2023 cycle, misses out after a period of fluctuating form and limited impact. Ola Aina, one of the best players at AFCON 2023  is unavailable due to injury, leaving a major gap on the flanks. William Troost-Ekong, the best player of the last edition, has also stepped away entirely following his retirement, while Terem Moffi has been dropped.

Alhassan Yusuf, who many expected to push into the core of the midfield, is also absent. His strong MLS season wasn’t enough to dislodge others who now sit firmly in Chelle’s plans.