Super Eagles WCQ roster suffers further disruption as Agu involvement is shrouded in doubt

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has been handed a fresh concern just days before the Super Eagles assemble for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with Felix Agu picking up a knock in Werder Bremen’s Bundesliga outing against FC St. Pauli.

The fullback, named in Chelle’s 23-man squad for the October fixtures against Lesotho and Benin, was forced off late in the first half after appearing to twist awkwardly under a challenge inside the box. Referee Sören Storks immediately stopped play as medical staff rushed to his aid.

Agu was unable to continue and made way for Isaac Schmidt, the Swiss international of Nigerian descent, with Bremen already a goal up through Samuel Mbangula’s opener.

Will Agu finally make cap-tying Super Eagles appearance?

Before the setback, Agu had been a lively outlet on the right flank, linking play neatly and swinging in a teasing cross that unsettled the St. Pauli defence early on. His withdrawal, however, cast a shadow over what was otherwise a comfortable afternoon for the hosts.

The extent of the defender’s injury is yet to be confirmed, with Werder Bremen expected to conduct further tests in the coming days.

“I tried to call myself Okocha, but I’m definitely not as skillful as him,” Werder Bremen’s Felix Agu on his growing up in Germany. The left back has been called up for the Super Eagles in their must-win World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho & Benin https://t.co/DttxFGN4OH pic.twitter.com/EV9WCcSVly

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) October 4, 2025

This news adds to Chelle’s defensive headache, with first-choice right-back Ola Aina already ruled out long term after suffering an injury in September’s qualifier against South Africa.

Agu, who made his unofficial debut for Nigeria in the 2025 Unity Cup friendly against Jamaica in London, is yet to feature in a competitive fixture for the Super Eagles. A place in the lineup against Lesotho or Benin would not only mark his competitive bow but also officially cap-tie him to the Super Eagles, ending any future prospect of representing Germany, the country of his birth.