On the eve of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana's crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, we take an in-depth look at three Super Eagles stars who will be missing for the clash between the African rivals.
Check Out: Rewind: How Bafana vs Nigeria At 2023 AFCON Went
The three-time African champions have a strong case for having not only the best group of attackers on the continent, but also an argument for the best in the world. The likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, Terem Moffi, Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi will all be at the disposal of Finidi George for their crunch World Cup qualifier against South Africa at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
There will, however, be some attacking heavyweights who will not be present for the clash against the 1996 African champions – here is what the west Africans may be missing as a consequence of their absence.
Victor Osimhen
Perhaps the biggest name that will not be playing is Napoli attacker Victor Osimhen. The Lagos native will miss the match due to an injury, the nature of which has not been disclosed, and he is set to be out for the next four weeks.
The 25-year-old is the current CAF Men's Player of the Year and, although he has not hit the heights he managed during the 2022/23 season, he has still made a compelling case to retain his title as the continent's best player. The striker found the back of the net 17 times in 32 matches for Napoli this past campaign, and also played a massive part in helping the west African giants reaching their record seventh Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year.
While he was not prolific at the continental showpiece, his presence was still felt in a big way on the pitch. Running the channels, being a target man, and dropping deep to avail the space for his wingers to exploit; these are all things Osimhen did during the AFCON in the Ivory Coast, especially against South Africa in the semi-finals. So, while they do still have a physically imposing striker who is quick in Boniface, his compatriot will likely still be a big miss.
Moses Simon
Another attacker who missed out on a call-up due to injury is winger Moses Simon. The 28-year-old has been out of action since the end of March after he broke his leg while playing for his national team in the previous international break, during their 2-0 loss to Mali.
While he may not have lit up Ligue 1 with his goals and assists, scoring three goals and creating six more, the winger has seen his valuation on Transfermarkt go up over the course of the campaign.
For all your exclusive football content and breaking news, join our WhatsApp Channel here!
The Jos native is now valued at €12 million (R248 million), a €4 million (R82 million) increase from the beginning of last season, and that probably has a lot to do with his general play. Perhaps even more than Osimhen, Simon was a consistent threat for the then-Jose Peseiro-led outfit at the 2023 AFCON, winning two Man of the Match awards at the tournament.
One came after their final group-stage encounter against Guinea-Bissau, and the other after their match against Angola in the quarter-finals. He only assisted one goal throughout the competition, but had an impactful presence, and will likely be missed for their upcoming set of qualifiers.
Joe Aribo
While Osimhen and Simon have missed out on selection due to injuries, Joe Aribo does not seem to be in George's immediate plans. The attacking midfielder was not selected for the new Nigeria coach's first set of matches in March (when he was still in charge on an interim basis), and once again the London-born player has not been chosen.
This is despite playing a massive role in helping Russel Martin's Southampton gain promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. It appears his showing in the EFL Championship does not seem to have convinced his new national team manager he is worthy of selection.
Check Out: The Nine African Stars Who've Score In European Finals
There are likely to be question marks from the Nigerian public as to why an EPL-bound star has not been included, but the 23-cap international will have a new chance to strut his stuff in the English top flight and hopefully get back into the national team.
Disclaimer: SNL24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on SNL24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of SNL24.
