Nigeria Football Federation technical director Austin Eguavoen says he was “disappointed” by the complete absence of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players in the Super Eagles squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria went on to finish the tournament in third place in Morocco, but Eguavoen believes the squad selection missed an opportunity to reward outstanding performers from the domestic league.
The Super Eagles won all three of their group matches and reached the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by hosts Morocco following a penalty shootout defeat. Eric Chelle’s side later secured the bronze medal, finishing behind champions Senegal and runners-up Morocco.
Despite the semi-final exit, Nigeria were statistically one of the tournament’s strongest teams. The Super Eagles were officially confirmed as the highest-scoring side at AFCON 2025, registering 14 goals, while also recording the highest average ball possession at 66%. They also enjoyed the longest winning run of the competition, claiming five consecutive victories.
Lookman. Photo Credit: Imago
Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman was named Best Playmaker of the Tournament after providing four assists, underlining Nigeria’s attacking efficiency throughout the competition.
Speaking to Footy Africa, Eguavoen questioned the logic of excluding home-based players, particularly when some squad members played little or no part in the tournament.
“I felt disappointed that we did not include some NPFL players in the AFCON squad,” Eguavoen said.
“Some players in the team may not even get a minute of action, so why couldn’t we include a few players from the local league? At least three or four would have been better.”
Austin Eguavoen. Photo Credit: The Athletic Images
The former Super Eagles head coach also warned against judging the NPFL solely on Nigeria’s performances at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is reserved for home-based players.
“The players are not bad, and just because we didn’t do well at CHAN doesn’t mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he added.
Super Eagles Technical bench. Photo Credit: Imago
“This is something we need to look into because it speaks volumes when players come directly from the local league into a major tournament like AFCON.”
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Despite his criticism, Eguavoen stressed that the Nigeria Football Federation would not impose players on head coach Eric Chelle, insisting that squad selection remains the coach’s responsibility.
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“We can only advise him; we cannot force players on him, he wants to see how he can gradually bring players through, but the timing has to be right.”
Eguavoen also suggested that Chelle’s limited exposure to the domestic league may have influenced player assessment, urging the coach to spend more time in Nigeria to better monitor NPFL talent.
