Super Eagles Manager, Eric Chelle, has confirmed that Nigeria will be without two of its biggest stars, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, when the team face Poland and Portugal in international friendly matches.
Chelle said that both players have been excused from the squad for the encounters, which will be only the second meetings between Nigeria and each of the European nations.
Nigeria will take on Poland in Warsaw on June 3 before facing Portugal in Leiria on June 10 as part of preparations for the European teams’ 2026 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for Nigeria.
According to Chelle, Osimhen’s absence is linked to an imminent club transfer, with the coach preferring not to disrupt the striker’s preparations during a critical period in his career.
“Victor is dealing with an important situation regarding his future. For me, he is the type of player who should either be at 100 per cent or not play at all,” Chelle said.
The absence of the former African Footballer of the Year is a major blow for the Super Eagles, given his importance to the team’s attack and his prolific scoring record for both club and country.
Lookman, meanwhile, has been granted a rest for what was termed as a personal reason.
Chelle revealed that the player’s club, Atletico Madrid, requested that he be excused from international duty due to physical and mental fatigue accumulated during the campaign.
The winger joins a growing list of absentees that also includes Samuel Chukwueze, who is unavailable for family reasons, while midfielders Alhassan Yusuf and Samson Tijani are sidelined because of visa-related issues.
“Femi Azeez had a decent outing at the Unity Cup, but his club will not release him for the remaining matches. Alhassan Yusuf and Tijani Samson do not have entry visas and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro is not feeling feel. The upcoming matches are friendlies and I will approach every game with seriousness with the players available,” he said.
Despite the high-profile omissions, Chelle sees the friendlies as an opportunity rather than a setback.
The Franco-Malian tactician intends to use the matches to assess the depth of his squad and provide opportunities for fringe players and returning internationals ahead of competitive fixtures later in the year
Experienced striker Paul Onuachu, captain Wilfred Ndidi and several emerging talents are expected to play key roles as Chelle experiments with different combinations against two strong European opponents.
The matches are expected to provide good tests for a Super Eagles side seeking to rebuild momentum after missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While many supporters had hoped to see Osimhen and Lookman lead the attack against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and a talented Polish side, reaction to the coach’s decision has largely been positive.
