By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria senior men’s national team will be without vice-captain Wilfred Ndidi when they face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final on Sunday.
Ndidi, who captained the team during Thursday’s 4–1 victory over Gabon, received his second yellow card of the qualifying series and is now suspended for the decisive match.
The Beşiktaş midfielder delivered one of the standout performances of the semifinal, offering defensive stability while also providing an assist.
His absence represents a significant setback for head coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria seeks to secure Africa’s sole ticket to the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for later in 2026.
Chelle will now be forced to choose between Raphael Onyedika and Frank Onyeka to fill the midfield void in Sunday’s final in Rabat.
Nigeria advanced after a dominant extra-time display against Gabon, scoring three goals—including a brace from Victor Osimhen—after being held in regulation time.
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.
