The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturda, released the official jersey numbers to be worn by players of the Super Eagles at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
The players in the final 25-man squad submitted for the tournament have each been allocated a number ranging from 1 to 25.
Napoli striker and Nigeria’s leading marksman, Victor Osimhen, has been handed the iconic number 9, cementing his place as the team’s offensive leader.
Team captain Ahmed Musa’s number 7 jersey, which he has won for many years since breaking into the senior team setup, is reallocated to him.
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi gets his usual jersey No. 17, Samuel Chukwueze will wear the No. 11 jersey, assistant captain William Troost-Ekong will don the No. 5 shirt, and the famous jersey No. 10 has been handed to Southampton’s Joe Aribo.
With the goalkeeping position of the Super Eagles a hot topic and many still divided over who should start in goal for the side, controversial shotstopper Francis Uzoho has been given the number one shirt, despite his starting role still under serious scrutiny.
Victor Boniface, the in-form Bayern Leverkusen forward, will wear the No. 24 jersey, while the recently called-up Olorunleke Ojo, Stanley Nwabili, and Royal Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf will all wear jersey numbers 16, 23, and 4, respectively.
Despite not being present in the team’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, who is recovering from a minor injury and is expected to participate in the AFCON, will wear his usual jersey number 14.
Nigeria will take on Guinea in a friendly match on Monday, January 8, as they wrap up preparations for the 34th edition of the AFCON, which kicks off on January 13.
The three-time AFCON winners will begin their fight for a fourth title on January 14 when they take on Equatorial Guinea at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Ivory Coast.
FULL SQUAD NUMBER
1. Francis Uzoho
2. Ola Aina
3. Zaidu Sanusi
4. Alhassan Yusuf
5. William Troost-Ekong
6. Semi Ajayi
7. Ahmed Musa
8. Frank Onyeka
9. Victor Osimhen
10. Joe Aribo
11. Samuel Chukwueze
12. Bright Osayi-Samuel
13. Bruno Onyemaechi
14. Kelechi Iheanacho
15. Moses Simon
16. Ojo Olorunleke
17. Alex Iwobi
18. Ademola Lookman
19. Umar Sadiq
20. Chidozie Awaziem
21. Calvin Bassey
22. Kenneth Omeruo
23. Stanley Nwabili
24. Victor Boniface
25. Raphael Onyedika
