Head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Finidi George, has received a significant boost ahead of a crucial 2026 World Cup Qualifier against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana next week.
This development comes as star striker Victor Osimhen, who had been sidelined since May 11 due to a muscle injury, made his return at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday.
Osimhen, the current African Footballer of the Year, had been a major doubt for the June international fixtures between Nigeria and both South Africa and Benin Republic.
However, a recent fitness update from Napoli revealed that after initially undergoing personalized training sessions, Osimhen was unexpectedly included in the matchday squad against Lecce.
While it was speculated that Osimhen was named in the squad primarily to bid farewell to Napoli fans ahead of a potential transfer to Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain, he ended up playing for 25 minutes. During his brief time on the pitch, he made a notable impact and nearly scored with a last-minute header.
If Osimhen remains injury-free in the upcoming training sessions, he is expected to start against South Africa on June 7.
Meanwhile, the fitness of another key player, Samuel Chukwueze, remains uncertain. AC Milan announced on Saturday that Chukwueze missed their final season match against Salernitana due to a hamstring injury, putting his availability for the upcoming internationals in doubt.