Midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has described his call-up to the Super Eagles for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as a “big surprise”, reflecting on his maiden invitation to represent Nigeria at the continental showpiece.
Akinsanmiro, who plays his club football with Pisa in Italy’s Serie A on loan from Inter Milan, earned his first senior national team call-up after featuring in the Super Eagles’ 54-man provisional squad named by head coach Eric Chelle earlier this month.
The 21 year old has been praised for his energetic and creative midfield play, attracting attention at club level that eventually led to the international opportunity. Akinsanmiro is among several fresh faces included in Nigeria’s final 28-man squad for AFCON 2025, which blends seasoned internationals with emerging talents.
He joins teammates such as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in Super Eagles camp in Egypt as preparations intensify ahead of their Group C campaign against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
Editorial
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In football, a call-up to one’s national team is never merely a logistical update it is a personal milestone steeped in memory, aspiration and identity. For Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, the surprise he felt upon receiving his first Super Eagles invitation is precisely what makes this moment resonate beyond the headlines. It speaks to the unanticipated joy of opportunity and the sheer unpredictability of a footballer’s journey.
Akinsanmiro’s pathway from youth promise to Serie A contributor and now international recognition embodies the delicate alchemy of talent, timing and hard work. Few players receive such news with anything but gratitude, but for a young midfielder whose name was previously absent from senior national conversations, the acknowledgment from head coach Eric Chelle is both validation and challenge.
It also symbolizes a broader narrative in Nigerian football the blending of established stars with emerging talent. The Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 squad is a mosaic of seasoned campaigners and fresh faces like Akinsanmiro, whose inclusion reflects confidence in a new generation poised to shape the team’s future. Their presence in camp preparing alongside veterans such as Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Osimhen speaks to a strategic vision that honors experience while embracing potential.
And yet, the surprise Akinsanmiro expresses is not naivety it is humble recognition of a dream actualised. For every youngster who has ever watched a national anthem play from the stands, hearing it next to your own name is a moment of profound transformation. In Cairo and soon in Morocco, Akinsanmiro’s story will not just be about a single tournament — it will be about the enduring power of belief meeting opportunity.
Did You Know?
- Akinsanmiro earned his first senior Super Eagles call-up for AFCON 2025, after being included in Nigeria’s 28-man squad surprising him as a maiden invitation.
- The midfielder plays for Pisa in Italy’s Serie A, on loan from Inter Milan, where his performances have sparked attention from Nigeria’s national team selectors.
- Akinsanmiro is part of a new wave of young players included in Nigeria’s squad, joining uncapped midfielders like Usman Muhammed and Tochukwu Nnadi as fresh faces in the Super Eagles setup.
- He has already arrived in Super Eagles camp in Egypt, where preparations continue ahead of AFCON 2025, alongside other call-ups such as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
- The Super Eagles are drawn in Group C at AFCON 2025 alongside Tunisia, Tanzania and Uganda, opening their campaign on 23 December in Fès, Morocco.
