By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria U20 head coach Aliyu Zubairu has included Lecce winger Divine Onyemaechi in his provisional squad for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, handing the teenager his first international call-up.
The 18-year-old, who recently swapped West Bromwich Albion for Serie A side Lecce, will report to Nigeria’s U-20 training camp in Abuja next week as preparations intensify for the global tournament.
Onyemaechi caught the eye at West Brom’s academy last season, scoring 11 goals in 21 appearances for the U-18s, form which attracted interest from several European clubs before Lecce secured his signature in the summer window.
His selection continues Nigeria’s tradition of fast-tracking overseas-based prospects into the youth setup, following the pathway of Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi, who both starred at U-20 level before breaking into the Super Eagles.
Nigeria have been drawn into a difficult Group F at the World Cup, where they will face Colombia, Norway, and Saudi Arabia between September 27 and October 19.
Coach Zubairu is expected to rely on Onyemaechi’s pace and direct attacking play to strengthen the Flying Eagles’ frontline as the team pursues a historic first U-20 world title.
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.
