FIFA Under-17 World Cup defending champion, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, has opened a training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina ahead of the impending World Cup scheduled for October 17 to November 8 in Chile.
The Eaglets are based at a training facility called Buenos Aires Futbol, located on the outskirts of the capital and owned by former Argentine international, Matias Almeyda.
Nigeria’s coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, disclosed that his team would spend two weeks before departing for Santiago for the World Cup.
The West Africans are drawn alongside hosts Chile, USA and Croatia in Group A and will start their campaign on October 17 against USA.
The Eaglets have lined-up two test matches against the Argentine U-17 side, due to face Australia, Germany and Mexico in Group C at the World Cup.
There are also plans to engage either the U-20 of Boca Junior or Racing Club in similar tests to fine-tune for the global championship.
“This facility is good (for our preparation) since it is out of town and would allow for maximum concentration throughout our camping here ahead of the World Cup,” said Amuneke, a former CAF African Footballer of the Year.
The trainer picked 25 players for the pre-World Cup camp, out of which four will be dropped. Captain Kelechi Nwakali and nine others who featured at the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations last February in Niger are part of the team in Buenos Aires.
FULL LIST: Kelechi Nwakali; Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukuwueze, Ebere Osinachi, Kingsley Michael, Orji Okwonkwo and John Lazarus.
Others are Halilu Lukman, Udoh Akpan, Benjamin Amos,Taiwo Alimi, Chinedu Madueke, Ibe Tobechukwu; Ejike Ikwu. There is also Tochukwu Okoli, Ndochukwu Anumudu; Chiaha Chisom , Funsho Bamgboye, Yunusa Abdullahi; Agor Chukwudi; David Enogela; Michael Edidiong; Samuel Opeh; Joel Osikel and Gavi Thompson.
