Super Eagles Belgium-born striker Cyriel Dessers has once again been omitted from the Nigerian national team squad, despite a solid start to the season with Scottish club Rangers.
The Super Eagles forward, who has earned six caps and netted two goals for the national team, was left out of the latest squad released on Saturday by interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen. The team is set to face Libya in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Dessers, who has been performing consistently for his club this season, continues to be overlooked in favour of other forwards, raising questions about selection criteria. Among the players invited for the forward positions are Bayern Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, who despite having eight caps for the Super Eagles, has yet to score a goal for the national side.
Boniface’s inclusion, many argue, may be influenced by his form for his club side and the strength of the German Bundesliga compared to the Scottish Premier League, where Dessers plies his trade. While Boniface has enjoyed a strong season with Leverkusen, scoring four goals in six league games and one goal in two Champions League appearances, the decision to omit Dessers still baffles many, considering his performance at Rangers.
Super Eagles Invited Forwards vs Libya:
- Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy)
- Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy)
- Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain)
- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
- Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France)
- Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)
A closer look at the players’ performances this season raises questions about the exclusion of Dessers. The Rangers striker has scored three goals and provided one assist in six league appearances, while also contributing in the Europa League. By comparison, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi and Sevilla’s Kelechi Iheanacho, both included in the squad, have yet to find the back of the net this season.
Season Stats Comparison:
- Cyriel Dessers (Rangers)
League: 6 games, 3 goals, 1 assist
Europa League: 2 games, 0 goals, 0 assists - Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
League: 4 games, 0 goals, 0 assists
EFL Cup: 1 game, 0 goals, 0 assists - Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla)
League: 5 games, 0 goals, 0 assists - Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
League: 6 games, 4 goals, 1 assist
Champions League: 2 games, 1 goal, 0 assists
Despite Awoniyi and Iheanacho struggling for form, they retain their places in the squad, while Dessers, with more impressive statistics, remains sidelined. This selection should probably sparked debate among fans and analysts alike.
I argue that Dessers deserves a spot in the squad, especially given his recent performances at the club level. And I question whether local coaches, like Eguavoen, tend to favour familiar faces over players who are in better form but playing in less prominent leagues. But Taminu playing in the English League 1 was invited to the squad to face Libya.
For now, Dessers must wait for another opportunity to don the Super Eagles jersey, but his omission will continue to raise eyebrows, especially as Nigeria prepares for a crucial AFCON qualifying campaign.
Written by Akeem Rotimi
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