Official: Super Eagles stars get jersey numbers with Okoye, Ighalo, Aribo picking iconic Nos 1, 9, 10

Fourteen of the 28 members of the Nigerian national team called by the interim boss are making their Afcon debut in Cameroon

The squad numbers to be used by the Super Eagles at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament have been released by the Confederations of African Football (CAF).

Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye appears to have sealed his spot as the Eagles’ first-choice shot-stopper with jersey number one.

Although Ikechukwu Ezenwa wore the jersey at the last Afcon, it was Daniel Akpeyi who featured in four of Nigeria’s six games at the tournament.

The iconic number ten kit, worn by John Mikel Obi at Egypt 2019, has been handed to Rangers ace Joe Aribo, who, like Okoye, is making his tournament debut for the Eagles.

It is still unclear if Odion Ighalo will join the national team in Cameroon, but the Al Shabab forward retains the number nine jersey he wore in the last edition.

Nine ended up being Ighalo’s lucky number as he finished the tournament with the top goalscorer award, having netted five goals.

Aside from Ighalo, all the thirteen other Super Eagles stars who were at Egypt 2019 have held on to the same numbers they wore at that Afcon, except Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze.

Then a fringe team member with just two caps, Chukwueze wore jersey number 13, but he has reverted to the number 17 he wears at his Spanish club. Bordeaux’s Samuel Kalu used the No.17 jersey last time, but he misses this edition.

The fourteen Nigerian players who are making their Afcon debut, including Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi, and Huesca’s Kelechi Nwakali, have all been given exciting numbers.

The full squad numbers for Nigeria at AFCON 2021 are below: 

1) Maduka Okoye
2) Ola Aina
3) Jamilu Collins
4) Wilfred Ndidi
5) William Troost-Ekong
6) Semi Ajayi
7) Ahmed Musa
8) Frank Onyeka
9) Odion Ighalo
10) Joe Aribo
11) Henry Onyekuru
12) Zaidu Sanusi
13) Chidera Ejuke
14) Kelechi Iheanacho
15) Moses Simon
16) Daniel Akpeyi
17) Samuel Chukwueze
18) Alex Iwobi
19) Taiwo Awoniyi
20) Chidozie Awaziem
21) Tyronne Ebuehi
22) Kenneth Omeruo
23) Francis Uzoho
24) Umar Sadiq
25) Kelechi Nwakali
26) Olisa Ndah
27) John Noble
28) Peter Olayinka