Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa reveals his all-time Super Eagles XI

By Monsurah Olatunji

Ahmed Musa, captain of the Nigerian national team, has unveiled his all-time best Super Eagles starting XI, based on his experiences over 110 caps for his country.

The former Leicester City forward, who scored 18 goals for the Super Eagles and participated in two FIFA World Cups and several Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, shared his dream team in an exclusive interview with Nigerian photojournalist Modo Victor.

Despite the current stars of the team, including the latest African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, his predecessor Victor Osimhen, and AFCON hero Stanley Nwabali, Musa’s all-time XI excludes them, focusing instead on players he personally shared the pitch with during his illustrious international career.

The lineup begins with Nigerian goalkeeping legend Vincent Enyeama between the posts, a player who has been a mainstay in Super Eagles history.

In defense, Musa selected Taye Taiwo, Kenneth Omeruo, Joseph Yobo, and Shehu Abdullahi to form a formidable backline in front of Enyeama.

In midfield, the 2013 AFCON winner chose the experienced John Obi Mikel alongside former Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu, combining grit and balance to provide a strong foundation for the attack.

Upfront, Musa opted for the pace and precision of Emmanuel Emenike as the lead striker, supported by a dynamic attacking trio of Osaze Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins, and Victor Moses.

Together, they represent some of the finest attacking talents to have ever worn the Super Eagles jersey.

Musa’s all-time XI reflects a blend of defensive stability, midfield control, and attacking flair — a lineup that has been at the heart of many of Nigeria’s finest footballing moments.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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