By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria defenders Daniel Bameyi and Odinaka Okoro have earned well-deserved recognition for their stellar performances in the group stage of the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, securing spots in the official Best XI.
The selection, made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) technical study group, stressing the outstanding contributions of the Nigerian duo to their team’s strong showing in the tournament.
Centre-back and team captain Bameyi has been a standout player for Nigeria, earning the Man of the Match award in the crucial goalless draw against Morocco.
His leadership at the back has been a key factor in Nigeria’s defensive solidity.
Left-back Okoro has also impressed with his solid defensive work and attacking contributions, including providing an assist during the group stage. His all-around performance has been integral to the Flying Eagles’ success.
As the Flying Eagles prepare to face Senegal in the quarterfinals on Monday at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, the recognition of Bameyi and Okoro’s performances will serve as a significant morale boost for the team.
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.
