Super Eagles squad: 2 qualities Isaac James brings to Eric Chelle’s team

Alverca defender Isaac James has earned his maiden invitation to the Super Eagles ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, Afrik-Foot reports.

Nigeria will begin their campaign to qualify for the next edition of Africa’s biggest football tournament, which will be hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya next year.

Eric Chelle led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, marking one of their best performances at the tournament in recent years. However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this summer, and they will be hoping to recover from that disappointment by securing qualification for the next AFCON.

📋 Eric Chelle names squads for September and October 2026 Fixtures. pic.twitter.com/W3zThCDUfE

— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) September 17, 2026

Ahead of the first two qualifiers later this month, Chelle has named a 24-man squad for the games against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. He also announced a separate squad for next month’s friendly against Russia, giving him the opportunity to assess more players.

Several players were included in both squads, with Alverca defender Isaac James among the notable names. The 22-year-old has received his first-ever Super Eagles call-up after making significant progress in his club career in recent years.

With up to three games available over the next few weeks, James could be handed his debut as Chelle looks to assess his qualities at international level.

While the defender has already shown plenty of promise, there are two qualities he could bring to Chelle’s Super Eagles side.

Versatility could be key for Super Eagles

One of the qualities that makes Isaac James an interesting addition to the Super Eagles is his versatility. The 22-year-old primarily operates as a left-back, and his inclusion could be important because of Zaidu Sanusi’s absence.

Sanusi suffered an injury earlier in the season while playing for Porto and has been ruled out for several months. His absence has left Nigeria without a regular option in that position, giving James an opportunity to compete for the role.

However, James offers more than just an option at left-back. He can also play as a left-sided centre-back, giving Chelle another defensive option depending on the situation in a game.

His ability to play in different positions could also increase his chances of getting on the pitch if Chelle needs to make changes during a match. James can also operate at right-back and has featured in the left midfield role, showing that he can cover several positions when required.

Attacking ability

Another notable part of Isaac James’ game is his ability to contribute in attack. While some full-backs tend to focus more on their defensive duties and rarely provide much going forward, James is comfortable pushing up the pitch and supporting attacks.

The young defender likes to get forward from the left flank while still carrying out his defensive responsibilities. He can also deliver dangerous crosses into the box, which could provide Nigeria’s forwards with more opportunities.

The Super Eagles have several tall and physically strong attackers who can attack crosses, making James’ ability to provide quality deliveries potentially useful to the team. His willingness to get forward can also create more goalscoring opportunities and give Nigeria another attacking outlet from the full-back position.

Chelle will be hoping the Alverca defender can show these qualities at international level and prove that he can become a useful option for the national team, beginning with the clash against Madagascar on September 25.