Super Eagles forgotten stars: How 5 Nigerians are fighting their way back to the top

Several Nigerian players hoping to return to the Super Eagles squad had impressive weekends in Europe.

Kelechi Iheanacho, Gift Orban, Josh Maja, Chidozie Awaziem and Olakunle Olusegun all found the net for their respective clubs.

Their performances give head coach Eric Chelle more options as he prepares for Nigeria’s upcoming fixtures, including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

While some have struggled for consistency in recent seasons, their latest displays suggest they are determined to get their careers back on track.

Super Eagles: Iheanacho and Orban lead the charge

Iheanacho continued his remarkable scoring run by finding the net in Bursaspor’s 4-2 away win over Ankara Keçiörengücü on Sunday.

The Super Eagles striker scored in the 50th minute to put Bursaspor 3-2 ahead in a closely contested match. It was his 12th consecutive league game with a goal, maintaining his excellent form since joining the Turkish second division club.

Iheanacho has scored 16 goals and provided three assists in 12 appearances this season, to power Bursaspor to the top of the Turkish first league. He also scored in Nigeria’s 3-3 friendly draw with Russia in early October. Still, Iheanacho’s last competitive feature for the Super Eagles was in 2024.

After a difficult time at Sevilla and a successful spell at Celtic, the former Leicester City forward is enjoying a fresh start in Turkey and giving Chelle a reason to consider recalling him.

Orban is also making a strong case for a return to the national team. The Nigerian striker scored a penalty and assisted Dia Saba’s winning goal in Amedspor’s 2-1 comeback victory over Samsunspor on Saturday.

He now has eight league goals and three assists in nine appearances. His goalscoring form and ability to create chances have made him one of the standout Nigerian forwards in Europe this season.

However, he has not been integrated to the Super Eagles since his first call-up three years ago.

Nigeria international Maja also caught the eye after scoring twice in Le Havre’s 4-3 defeat to Marseille on Sunday.

Introduced in the 61st minute with his team trailing 4-0, he converted a penalty in the 77th minute before heading home another goal in the 89th minute.

His late brace brought Le Havre within one goal of an unlikely comeback, although Marseille held on to win.

Interestingly, Maja’s only appearance for Nigerian came back in 2019.

Awaziem and Olusegun make their mark

Awaziem enjoyed an outstanding afternoon, scoring twice in Konyaspor’s 2-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği on Sunday.

The defender opened the scoring in the 43rd minute and struck again in the 56th minute. He also helped his side keep a clean sheet as Konyaspor climbed out of the Turkish Süper Lig relegation zone.

The 29-year-old’s performance was a welcome boost after a difficult start to the campaign. His experience could also strengthen Nigeria’s defensive options if Chelle decides to bring him back into the squad.

That would be a tall order, though, as the last of Awaziem’s 40 Super Eagles caps came in Nigeria’s penalty shootout win over Egypt at the 2025 AFCON in January.

Olakunle Olusegun completes the list by scoring in FC Rostov’s 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow. The winger doubled his team’s lead in the 24th minute, finding the net for the first time in the Russian Premier League this season.

He has also contributed three assists in the campaign, establishing himself as a regular starter since moving from Krasnodar.

Chelle gave Olakunle is first two Super Eagles appearances but the last of those came in the World Cup qualifying win over Benin Republic last year.

The 24-year-old winger would be keen to make his international return ahead of the AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania next month.

Still, strong club form does not guarantee a Super Eagles recall, but all five players have given Chelle something to consider. If they maintain their current performances, they could force their way back into the national team picture.