Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, has recalled retired striker, Odion Ighalo, for Nigeria’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde later this month.
Ighalo was included in the 24-man squad released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday.
The Saudi Arabia-based striker is returning to the team two years after he retired from international football. He retired after he finished as the highest goal scorer in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, in which Nigeria finished in the third position.
Also recalled to the team are the trio of Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Wilfred Ndidi.
Iwobi and Ndidi missed out on the double-header clash with the Central African Republic (CAR) last month due to injuries. Chukwueze, on the other hand, has been out of the team since May following an injury he picked up while playing for his club, Villareal of Spain.
Ighalo’s inclusion, however, means that there is no place for Taiwo Awoniyi.
Awoniyi is currently one of Nigeria’s most in-form strikers, having scored seven goals in 10 league games for his club, Union Berlin of Germany.
The former Liverpool striker made his Super Eagles debut during the 0-1 loss of the team to CAR in Lagos in October.
Regulars such as captain and Nigeria’s most-capped player Ahmed Musa, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheancho and Leon Balogun are in the squad.
See the full list below:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
