Okoye risks Eagles exile over repeated lateness

Maduka Okoye. Photo: Super Eagles on X

Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is facing an uncertain future under head coach Eric Chelle after being overlooked for Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Okoye’s omission has brought renewed attention to his commitment to the national team, particularly after he arrived in Uyo on the morning of Nigeria’s opening qualifier against Madagascar in September, having been the last player to report to camp.

The Super Eagles will face Tanzania in Uyo on Friday before travelling to Zanzibar for the return fixture four days later, with Chelle opting for Stanley Nwabali, Francis Uzoho and Arthur Okonkwo as his goalkeeping options.

Nigeria are second in Group L with three points from two matches, having beaten Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau. With Tanzania already qualified for the tournament as co-hosts, only one additional ticket is available from the group, leaving the Super Eagles under pressure to collect maximum points.

Former Super Eagles midfielder Victor Ikpeba also stressed the importance of discipline and punctuality, arguing that players must respect the demands of international duty.

“Competitions bring the best from players. Discipline is very key. A player that comes a day before the match, people are still asking why he is not invited. I was there before, in the 90s, nobody comes a day to the match, you stay at home,” Ikpeba said on SuperSport’s Monday Night Football.

Olawale Adigun, a sports broadcaster, backed Chelle’s decision to leave Okoye out, insisting that no player should take his place in the national team for granted.

“Nothing is assured with the national team. It was important for Eric Chelle to make a statement, and that was not calling him up, which I am supportive of. In Nwabali, we have a goalkeeper who has shown over the years that he could do the job,” Adigun said on the Social Plus Podcast.

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“Okoye, for me, is Nigeria’s best goalkeeper in terms of profile. He plays for a team in Serie A, starts regularly and produces man-of-the-match performances. That is bigger and better, but he needs to show that he wants to play for the national team.”

Okoye’s late arrival in September followed similar incidents during previous international windows. In June 2024, he was also among the last players to join the squad ahead of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

The goalkeeper’s availability and commitment have come under scrutiny at different points in his international career, including during preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. However, his latest delay came amid his involvement in Udinese’s third-kit presentation at Milan Fashion Week. Chelle later said he had granted the goalkeeper permission to attend the club engagement but expressed his displeasure at his lateness.

Okoye was omitted from Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations but appeared to be working his way back into contention after impressive performances against Poland and Portugal in June 2025, while Nwabali was unavailable for the national team during earlier windows.

Journalist Samuel Areo believes the goalkeeper’s conduct during the September window may have undermined the progress he had made in the race for the first-choice position.

“He basically blew the chance in the last window when he chose off-field stuff with his club at the expense of competitive apps for SE. Chelle was visibly not pleased, so I don’t know how soon he will get that chance again. People believe he’s in great shape, I do too, but his body language to the national team is quite different. Nothing will be given on a platter and that’s just it,” Areo said.

Since making his debut against Brazil in October 2019, Okoye has made 21 appearances for Nigeria, although his international career has included a lengthy absence between 2022 and June 2024.