Newly appointed Super Eagles head coach, Bruno Labbadia, has unveiled a 23-man squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, slated for next month.
News About Nigeria reports that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made the announcement early Tuesday, confirming Labbadia’s appointment and revealing that the coach has been actively preparing the squad for the crucial fixtures on September 7 and 10.
The squad list marks the return of previously injured players, William Troost-Ekong, Moses Simon, and star striker Victor Osimhen, who were absent from recent matches.
The Super Eagles have been without a head coach since Finidi George stepped down following the team’s mixed results in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic in June.
Players selected for the squad are expected to arrive at the Uyo camp between this weekend and Monday after fulfilling their club commitments.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to be held in Morocco, spanning December 2025 to January 2026, marking the first time the tournament will take place over two consecutive years.
Labbadia is a former player turned coach, having played for several German clubs, including FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, and Werder Bremen.
During his playing career, Labbadia won the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 1994.
After retiring, he transitioned to coaching, managing various German clubs, including Darmstadt, Greuther Fürth, and Wolfsburg.
His most recent coaching position was at Stuttgart, where he was dismissed in April 2023 after the team fell to last place in the Bundesliga.
Labbadia becomes the sixth German coach to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr.
