Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, joining his teammates as preparations intensify for the tournament in Morocco. His arrival brings the number of players assembled in camp to eleven, with more expected to join in the coming hours.
Sanusi, who plays his club football for FC Porto, is part of the final 28-man Nigeria squad selected by head coach Eric Chelle. The left-back was also a member of the Super Eagles side that finished as runners-up at AFCON 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire and featured in the playoff run for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The eleven players currently in camp are:
- Francis Izobo
- Stanley Nwabali
- Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
- Akinsanmiro Ebenezer
- Amas Obasogie
- Semi Ajayi
- Ademola Lookman
- Bright Osayi-Samuel
- Igho Ogbu
- Tochukwu Nnadi
- Zaidu Sanusi
The Super Eagles will hold their first training session at the Cairo International Stadium main bowl as they begin focused preparations before the tournament proper starts on December 21, 2025.
Editorial
In the logistics and choreography of major tournaments, the early arrivals often set the tone not through headline goals or defensive headers, but through presence and purpose. Zaidu Sanusi’s arrival in Cairo as part of the Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 build-up exemplifies that quiet but vital narrative: a player anchoring not just a backline, but the collective rhythm of preparation.
Sanusi’s involvement is more than symbolic. A seasoned defender with experience at both club and international levels, he represents continuity in a squad in transition. The Super Eagles are balancing youthful dynamism with veteran composure, and Sanusi — who was with Nigeria’s runner-up side at AFCON 2023 anchors that blend with authority. His presence reinforces the underlying message from coach Eric Chelle this is a team building momentum through structure, clarity and shared ambition.
The methodical gathering of players in Egypt now numbering eleven reflects a deliberate pacing. Arrivals will continue as club commitments wind down, and with each addition comes not just talent, but tactical refinement. Sanusi, having already settled in Egypt, will be in place to help welcome and integrate those who follow, fostering unity and focus ahead of the campaign.
In tournament football, the days before kickoff are as significant as the matches themselves. They are where cohesion forms, where individual roles are refined into collective purpose, and where expectation crystallises into readiness. Sanusi’s arrival is a chapter in that story not loud, but emphatic in its implication Nigeria is assembling not just a squad, but a shared intent to compete, to connect, and ultimately, to contend for honour on Africa’s grandest stage.
Did You Know?
- Francis Uzoho was the first Super Eagles player to arrive in Cairo, checking in at around 2 a.m. on December 14 to officially open camp for AFCON 2025.
- Stanley Nwabali also arrived early in camp, reinforcing Nigeria’s goalkeeping options after recovering from a recent injury.
- The Super Eagles’ training camp is based at the Renaissance Hotel in Cairo, where coaches and staff had already been preparing logistics before the players’ arrivals.
- Nigeria are scheduled to play a pre-AFCON friendly against Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on 16 December as a final tune-up before heading to Morocco.
- The Super Eagles are drawn in Group C of AFCON 2025 alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda, with their campaign kicking off on 23 December.
