Peter Odemwingie welcomes fresh faces to Super Eagles ahead of Russia friendly

By Monsurah Olatunji

Former Super Eagles forward Peter Odemwingie has voiced his support for the inclusion of new players in Nigeria’s squad ahead of their upcoming international friendly against Russia, scheduled for June 6 in Moscow.

With key regulars such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey unavailable, head coach Eric Chelle has named a 21-man squad featuring four uncapped players: Amas Obasogie (Singida SC), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague), Christantus Uche (Getafe), and Papa Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes).

Speaking to Russian outlet Championat, Odemwingie praised the decision to integrate new talent, calling it a vital step for the long-term development of the national team.

“I like it when new names appear. There will be more competition for the main players,” Odemwingie said. “We will know what the future holds for the Nigerian national team. We cannot always rely on the same players.”

The former Lokomotiv Moscow star identified Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, and Kelechi Iheanacho as likely starters in the Moscow clash. He also highlighted Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen as a key attacking option.

“I think the players who will come to Russia are close to the main squad. If Chukwueze, Simon, and Iheanacho or Boniface start, we can say that they are our base,” he noted.

While acknowledging Osimhen’s absence as a major loss, Odemwingie remained optimistic about the match’s significance.

“Of course, Nigeria’s main star now is Osimhen, but the game will still be interesting,” he said.

The June 6 friendly will serve as a key test for both established names and newcomers looking to secure long-term roles in the national setup, with European scouts and fans watching closely.

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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