Nigeria defender Ryan Alebiosu will remain with the Super Eagles at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite suffering an injury in Nigeria’s final Group C match against Uganda.
Alebiosu sustained a deep cut on his right leg during Tuesday night’s 3–1 victory over the Cranes, a game in which the right-back made his debut for Nigeria. Initial concerns suggested the injury could rule him out for up to a month.
However, according to Blackburn Xtra, the 24-year-old underwent a scan on Wednesday which confirmed that he will be sidelined for only a couple of weeks, easing fears of a prolonged absence.
Despite the setback, Alebiosu will remain with the Super Eagles squad for the duration of the AFCON tournament and will not return to his club in England.
Nigeria, who finished the group stage with a perfect record of three wins from three matches, are set to face the Mambas of Mozambique in the Round of 16 clash scheduled for next Monday in Fès.
Alebiosu’s decision to stay with the team underlines the strong unity within the Super Eagles camp as they continue their quest for a fourth AFCON title in Morocco.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
