Super Eagles to Face Poland and Portugal with 18-Man Squad as Osimhen, Lookman and Two Others Miss Upcoming Friendlies

Nigeria’s preparations for their upcoming friendlies against Poland and Portugal have been significantly disrupted, with head coach Eric Chelle confirming the absence of four key players ahead of what are expected to be two demanding tests against European opposition.

Speaking after Nigeria’s successful defence of the Unity Cup on May 30, 2026, Chelle acknowledged the scale of the personnel challenges currently facing the squad. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman — widely regarded as the Super Eagles’ most dangerous attacking threats — will both sit out the fixtures. Chelle cited Osimhen’s imminent summer transfer as the reason for excusing the striker, while Atletico Madrid requested that Lookman be released from international duty due to fatigue.

“The most important, we will miss two players because Victor Osimhen had, maybe to change clubs,” Chelle said in a video posted on X. “I prefer he stay in his house because if you play and you are not 100%, this is not good. And Lookman is very tired and Atletico asked us to let him.”

Osimhen, who completed the recently concluded club season on loan at Galatasaray, is understood to be in the process of finalising a return to the English Premier League. Lookman, who joined Atletico Madrid and has been a consistent performer for both club and country, will also remain outside the camp on his club’s request.

The squad situation has been further complicated by visa processing issues affecting at least two additional players based in the United Kingdom. Midfielder Alhassan Yusuf and forward Tijani have both been unable to travel due to outstanding visa applications, leaving Chelle with a significantly reduced pool of available players.

“For now, we have two games — Poland and Portugal and I have lots of problems because some players don’t have visa forms — Tijani, Yusuf… So, we will travel with 18 players, we will see what happens,” Chelle said.

Alhassan Yusuf had been a notable performer for Nigeria during the Unity Cup campaign, while the visa complications represent a recurring logistical concern for the Super Eagles when assembling squads from players based across multiple European leagues.

Nigeria will face a Poland side led by Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski and a Portugal squad that includes Cristiano Ronaldo and key Premier League figures such as Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. Both fixtures represent significant challenges even at full strength, and the depleted squad will place greater responsibility on less established members of the group.

Young forward Femi Azeez, who made his debut during the Unity Cup and became a record-breaker in the process, is among the players who may be called upon to carry a heavier burden in the attacking third. Nigeria’s Unity Cup campaign, which culminated in a successful title defence, did offer some evidence that Chelle’s squad has depth capable of competing against strong opposition despite the absence of senior players.

The upcoming fixtures are international friendlies, but they carry added significance as preparation for future competitive commitments, including Africa Cup of Nations qualifying and the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.