The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the list of nominees for the 2025 CAF Awards in the Men’s National Team of the Year category, with Nigeria’s Super Eagles notably absent after their lackluster performances in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The three-time AFCON champions endured a frustrating start to their qualification campaign, managing just three points from four matches — a run that saw two managerial casualties. Portuguese tactician José Peseiro and Nigerian legend Finidi George were both relieved of their duties before the arrival of Eric Chelle, former coach of Mali, who has since taken charge.
CAF’s shortlist features all African nations that booked their spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. Notably, Cape Verde made history by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup, according to Africa.com.
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A surprise addition to the list is the Morocco U20 national team, which earned global recognition after defeating Argentina to win the FIFA U20 World Cup, as reported by the BBC.
Nigeria’s age-grade teams were also overlooked. The Golden Eaglets (U17) failed to qualify for both the AFCON and World Cup for the third consecutive time under coach Manu Garba, while the Flying Eagles (U20) managed a third-place finish at the continental tournament but crashed out of the World Cup in the Round of 16 following a heavy loss to Argentina.
The snub has reignited discussions about the decline of Nigerian football, with fans urging reforms and stronger developmental structures to restore the nation’s former glory.
