Manchester City youth prodigy and 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Most Valuable Player, Kelechi Iheanacho, and his teammate in the England club giant Chidiebere Nwakali, made the list of 21 players released by Flying Eagles chief coach, Manu Garba, for the finals of the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Team captain, Musa Muhammed, who led the U-17 squad that won for Nigeria a record fourth FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013, also made the team alongside top striker, Taiwo Awoniyi.
Spain-based Success Isaac and Enyimba FC’s midfield impressario, Kingsley Sokari, are the other top players who made the list.
Garba has also included Musa Yahaya, defence stalwarts Wilfred Ndidi and Izu Omego, and the exciting Belgium-based forward Moses Simon.
Attack-minded defender Chidiebere Nwakali, who shone at the U-17 World Cup, as well as midfield lubricator Akinjide Idowu and inspiring goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo are also going to New Zealand.
African champion Nigeria will play her first match against Brazil in New Plymouth on the first day of June, before other Group E games against North Korea and Hungary in the same city.
Nigeria won silver medals at the U-20 World Cup in 1989 and 2005, but the Nigeria Football Federation believes the current squad has the ability to go all the way and welcome the incoming Government of General Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) with a major trophy.
FLYING EAGLES FULL LIST: Goalkeepers: Joshua Enaholo (MFM FC); Dele Alampasu (Football College Academy) and Olorunleke Ojo (Giwa FC).
Defenders: Musa Muhammed (FC Heart Academy); Mustapha Abdullahi (Spotlight FC); Zaharaddeen Bello (Dabo Babes Academy); Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium); Izu Omego (Apapa Golden Stars) and Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City, England).
Midfielders: Akinjide Idowu (Nigeria Young Academy); Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Water FC); Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba FC); Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Musa Yahaya (Tottenham FC, England); Bernard Bulbwa (Esperance ST, Tunisia) and Godwin Saviour (FC Sports).
Forwards: Taiwo Awoniyi (Imperial Academy); Chidera Ezeh (FC Porto, Portugal); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium) and Success Isaac (Granada FC, Spain).
