Odion Ighalo has expressed his dismay over the limited inclusion of local players in the Super Eagles’ provisional squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Head coach Jose Peseiro submitted a 41-man list, featuring only three goalkeepers – Ojo Olorunleke, Amas Obasogie, and Christian Nwoke.
Ighalo voiced his opinion, stating that the home-based players deserve more representation in the squad. He argued, “I don’t think it’s right not to invite home-based players. This is a 40-man list, at least five to seven players should be on the list to encourage them. Not inviting them means you don’t focus on the league,” as conveyed to Oma Sports.
The final composition of the 27-man squad for the AFCON is yet to be determined, and whether the trio of Olorunleke, Obasogie, and Nwoke will make the cut remains uncertain.
In the 2021 AFCON hosted by Cameroon, only one home-based player, John Noble, made it to the Super Eagles squad.