Victor Boniface and 7 Others Set to Make Their AFCON Debut for Super Eagles

• Nigeria has submitted its 25-man final squad for AFCON 2023
• Eight of the players selected will be making their AFCON debuts
• The 2023 AFCON will be held in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11

The Super Eagles' head coach, Jose Peseiro, has named eight debutants led by Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface to his final 25-man roster for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

The Portuguese tactician submitted his final squad to CAF on Friday, December 29, with some prominent names like Victor Osimhen, Ahmed Musa, and Alex Iwobi making the cut.

According to Punch, eight players will be making their debut for Nigeria at the 34th edition of the AFCON as Jose Peseiro has trusted them to be of good value to the squad in Ivory Coast.

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They are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabili and Olorunleke Ojo and defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Calvin Bassey and Raphael Onyedika.

Others also selected to play for Nigeria in their first AFCON are Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman and five-time Bundesliga Rookie of the Month winner Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen.

Lookman’s AFCON invite saddens Atalanta boss

Meanwhile, Atalanta manager, Gian Piero Gasperini is unhappy with winger Ademola Lookman’s departure for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Daily Post reports.

Lookman was named in Nigeria’s 25-man squad for Africa’s flagship soccer tournament by head coach Jose Peseiro on Friday and will be making his maiden appearance at the competition.

Gasperini claimed Atalanta would be missing a key element in the attack as Lookman could be away on international duty with the Super Eagles for close to one month should Nigeria make it to the final of the 2023 AFCON.

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Earlier, Sports Brief reported Nigerian national team manager Jose Peseiro has announced the Super Eagles' 25-man squad will represent the country at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast next year.

The competition is set to kick off in Ivory Coast on January 15, when the Elephants will take on Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria will also face the host nation in the group stage as they are both in Group A alongside Equatorial Guinea and Guinea.