Super Eagles: 7 stars who made their Nigeria debut under Eric Chelle (Ranked)

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has turned the Nigeria national football team into a much larger audition room, Afrik-Foot reports.

Since taking charge, the Franco-Malian coach has repeatedly looked beyond Nigeria’s established stars, using friendlies, the Unity Cup and now the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to test players who had never worn the senior green and white.

His approach has produced a striking mix of late bloomers, young prospects, diaspora players and footballers who arrived almost unnoticed before forcing their way into the conversation.

Chelle’s most recent experiment delivered perhaps the clearest evidence yet.

Nigeria’s 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo was powered by two players making their senior international debuts. George Ilenikhena started and equalised before half-time, while substitute Moses Usor came off the bench to score the winner in the 65th minute.

They joined a growing list of players Chelle has introduced to the Super Eagles since taking charge.

Ranking Super Eagles debutants under Eric Chelle

7. Abdullahi Bewene, the full-back who seized his unexpected opportunity

Bewene’s introduction to international football was almost as unexpected as the performance that followed.

The Baník Ostrava defender was not initially part of Nigeria’s squad for the June friendlies, but withdrawals and availability problems opened a late route into Chelle’s plans. With Ola Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel unavailable for the meeting with Poland, the 21-year-old was summoned and immediately thrown into the starting XI.

There was no gentle introduction at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw. Bewene started at right-back and played the full 90 minutes as Nigeria drew 2-2 with Poland. He handled the occasion with composure despite arriving as a late addition, while his performance drew strong praise from Nigerian supporters for his defensive work.

The result did not give Nigeria a clean victory, but Bewene’s personal audition was convincing enough to earn another appearance against Portugal a week later.

Nigeria already has serious competition at full-back, with Aina and Osayi-Samuel among the established options. Bewene’s value to Chelle lies in offering another energetic defender who can operate in wide areas while giving the coach more flexibility when injuries or suspensions disrupt his preferred XI.

6. Arthur Okonkwo, the goalkeeper who gave Chelle another option

Okonkwo arrived in the Super Eagles setup with a story already written in another country’s colours.

The Wrexham goalkeeper had represented England at youth level before FIFA confirmed his eligibility to play for Nigeria through his parents. Chelle then handed him his senior opportunity during the 2026 Unity Cup.

His debut came against Zimbabwe at The Valley in London on May 26.

Okonkwo started as Nigeria defeated the Warriors 2-0, with Femi Azeez scoring both goals. The goalkeeper’s contribution was quieter than the debutant forward’s, but it was precisely the sort of night a new goalkeeper wants. No goal conceded and no costly error under pressure.

His clean sheet mattered even more because Zimbabwe had previously proved awkward opposition for Nigeria during the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Okonkwo was subsequently retained for the Unity Cup final against Jamaica, giving him two appearances during the tournament.

Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye have occupied prominent positions in Nigeria’s goalkeeping picture, while Francis Uzoho has also remained part of the national-team conversation. Okonkwo gives Chelle another goalkeeper with experience developed in English football and the physical demands of professional club football.

5. Chibuike Nwaiwu, the centre-back who turned a chance into a genuine audition

Nwaiwu’s route into the Super Eagles was born from necessity.

The centre-back received his first senior call-up after Calvin Bassey withdrew through injury, and the Trabzonspor defender did not have to wait long for his chance. He came on against Iran in Antalya during Nigeria’s 2-1 victory on March 27.

Nwaiwu entered in the second half as Nigeria protected a lead against an Iran side containing experienced international attackers. He subsequently featured against Zimbabwe and Jamaica during the Unity Cup, taking his senior tally to three appearances in 2026.

The Trabzonspor defender now gives coach Chelle another option in a centre-back group that includes Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Igoh Ogbu and others.

4. Emmanuel Fernandez, the defender who scored before he had properly introduced himself

Fernandez did not need months to make his presence felt. The Rangers defender received his first Super Eagles call-up in March after establishing himself at Ibrox following his move from Peterborough United.

Rangers had signed him from England’s third tier, and his rise at club level eventually brought him into Chelle’s plans.

His international debut came against Iran on March 27. Fernandez entered at half-time as Nigeria protected a 2-1 lead, helping the Super Eagles close out the friendly victory in Antalya.

Four days later, Chelle gave him his first start against Jordan. Fernandez responded in the most emphatic way possible for a defender. He scored in Nigeria’s 2-2 draw, turning his first international start into a personal landmark.

Fernandez had gone from a peripheral figure at Rangers to becoming the key man in defence for the Glasgow giants and now a Nigeria international.

Nigeria’s centre-back competition is fierce, but Fernandez will look to bring a combination of physical presence, confidence on the ball and attacking threat that can make him useful beyond simply filling a squad place.

3. Moses Usor, the late call-up who changed the Madagascar night

Usor’s story begins with a door that almost did not open.

The LASK forward was brought into Chelle’s September squad after Femi Azeez failed to recover from an injury. The replacement call-up arrived in Nigeria carrying increasingly convincing club form, rather than an established international reputation.

His timing at LASK could hardly have been better. Usor scored and assisted during LASK’s astonishing 5-1 Champions League play-off victory over Celtic on August 25. The Nigerian forward produced a goal and an assist in 98 minutes as LASK overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit.

Then came Uyo. Nigeria trailed Madagascar after Ehsan Kari’s 16th-minute opener in the opening match of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. Ilenikhena levelled in first-half stoppage time, but Nigeria still needed another breakthrough.

Chelle turned to Usor. The substitute entered the contest and, in the 65th minute, produced the decisive moment. Usor drove forward before firing past the Madagascar goalkeeper to complete Nigeria’s comeback and give the Super Eagles a 2-1 victory.

Usor arrived in the Super Eagles squad through the side door. Against Madagascar, he kicked it wide open. And now, it would be hard for coach Chelle to keep him out of the Super Eagles even when his regulars return to fitness.

2. George Ilenikhena, the youngster who chose Nigeria and scored on his debut

Born in Lagos, Ilenikhena moved to France at the age of three and developed through the French system. He represented France at youth level and later built his professional reputation with Amiens, Royal Antwerp and Monaco before moving to Al-Ittihad.

Chelle had been in contact with the young forward for months before Ilenikhena committed his international future to Nigeria. His decision gave the Super Eagles access to a striker with Champions League experience and a profile that had attracted attention in European football.

His club form then made the call-up difficult to ignore.

Ilenikhena arrived at the September camp after scoring six goals and providing two assists in nine appearances for Al-Ittihad at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Chelle rewarded that form by putting him straight into the starting XI against Madagascar.

Nigeria fell behind in Uyo, but Ilenikhena refused to let the deficit dictate his first night in international football. In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, he collected the ball on the edge of the box and lashed a left-footed strike into the net to make it 1-1.

One goal cannot establish a long international career, and Ilenikhena still has to prove that he can reproduce the performance over a sustained period. But his immediate goal-scoring impact makes his first appearance unusually compelling.

1. Femi Azeez, the debutant who turned two chances into a statement

Nigeria’s Super Eagles had been in search of an exciting right winger with an eye for goal since the unexpected international retirement of Victor Moses.

Henry Onyekuru, Ahmed Musa, and Samuel Chukwueze have all played in that position with varying degrees of success.

Chelle then turned to Femi Azeez. The former Reading man had delivered a productive Championship season with Millwall, where he scored 11 goals, provided eight assists and was named in the Championship Team of the Year.

Azeez received his first senior Nigeria call-up shortly after and Chelle handed him his chance during the Unity Cup.

Azeez started against Zimbabwe at The Valley in London on May 26 and needed only five minutes to announce himself. His first Nigeria goal came from outside the box after Terem Moffi created the opening, with Azeez drilling a left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Future Sibanda.

Then he did it again. Azeez doubled Nigeria’s lead in the 63rd minute, finishing a move involving Moffi to complete a brace and send the Super Eagles into the Unity Cup final with a 2-0 victory.

Two goals on a senior international debut is extraordinary by itself. Still, the debut was not the end of the story.

Azeez then contributed an assist in Nigeria’s 3-0 Unity Cup final victory over Jamaica, supplying the cross from which Terem Moffi scored the second goal.

That left Azeez with three goal contributions across his opening two senior appearances. Two goals against Zimbabwe and an assist against Jamaica.

Azeez showed he could score from distance, attack the box, combine with experienced forwards and influence matches rather than simply participate in them.

Chelle gave Femi Azeez a doorway into the Super Eagles. The forward did not merely walk through it. He scored twice, created another and made sure the door stayed open.