Benjamin Fredrick says missing Afcon was ‘painful’ after injury setback

Brentford defender Benjamin Fredrick says being ruled out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was especially difficult because he had been in “the best shape” of his life before suffering a serious knee injury.

The Nigeria international was injured in November 2025 while training with Belgian club FCV Dender, where he was on loan. The setback came after he had returned from Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Fredrick’s injury prevented him from representing the Super Eagles at the tournament in Morocco and kept him out of competitive football for several months. He eventually began the rehabilitation process and worked towards a return to action.

Speaking to54Footballx, the 19-year-old said the timing of the injury made the disappointment even harder to handle.

“To be honest, at that time, I was playing well and was in the best shape of my life to play football. I was happy there before I got injured,” he said.

“When I got injured, I was really down. I was mentally down because my plan was going to the AFCON at such a young age.”

Fredrick said playing at the continental tournament had been a major ambition, particularly because of his age.

“It’s like a dream for every young player to reach that stage at such a young age,” he added. “So, getting injured during that period left me feeling down and sad. But I’m happy to be back playing again. I’m so happy.”

The defender returned to action for Brentford’s Under-21 side in September 2026, having spent 287 days on the sidelines.

His recovery later led to a place in Brentford’s first-team squad. He also signed a new four-year contract with the Premier League club, which includes an option to extend the agreement by another year.

Fredrick has since returned to the Super Eagles squad, providing him with another chance to establish himself in manager Eric Chelle’s plans after missing the previous Africa Cup of Nations through injury.

With Nigeria involved in the ongoing qualification campaign, Fredrick says he is eager to contribute and help the team secure a place at the next tournament.

“I want to play and I’m happy I’m here. I’m playing and I want to assure everyone that we’ll try to give our best,” he said.

“We will get the victory in every game from the next game to the end of qualifiers.”