Tella and Musa Earn Nigeria Call-Up for World Cup Qualifiers Against Zimbabwe and Rwanda

Nathan Tella, a standout player for Bayer Leverkusen, along with team captain Ahmed Musa, has been recalled to the Nigeria national squad in preparation for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.

The Nigeria Football Federation has unveiled a provisional 39-man roster for the vital encounters against Zimbabwe and Rwanda, with Tella and Musa making their return after being absent from previous selections.

Tella, who has been in remarkable form with the reigning champions of Germany, is anticipated to strengthen the frontline of the three-time African champions as they strive to reignite their World Cup aspirations.

Joining the national squad are Rangers’ prolific forward Cyriel Dessers, defender Jordan Torunarigha from Gent, Chidera Ejuke from Sevilla, and goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo.

Also included in this star-studded line-up are the current African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, alongside Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, William Troost-Ekong, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Victor Boniface.

In goalkeeping, Eric Chelle will face fierce competition for a starting role with nominees for CAF Awards Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye, Kayode Bankole, and Anas Obasogie, who plays in Tanzania.

Owing to their outstanding performances in the Nigeria Professional Football League, midfielder Papa Daniel Mustapha from Niger Tornadoes and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi from Rangers International have received their first senior call-ups, while Anthony Dennis from Goztepe and Tolu Arokodare will be eager to earn their inaugural caps with the revered Nigerian side.

Nigeria is set to take on Rwanda away on March 16, before hosting the Warriors at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium a week later.

Following four matches, the 2013 African champions find themselves in fifth place with a mere three points, trailing leaders Rwanda by four points, with six games remaining in the qualifying series.

After missing out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to a playoff defeat to longstanding rivals Ghana, the Nigerian team is determined to make a comeback on the global stage, aiming for better results than their round-of-16 finishes at the tournaments in the USA (’94), France (’98), and Brazil (2014).