Unless you are a keen follower of the leagues in Eastern Europe, you may not recognise some of the players that Nigeria will field in today’s international friendly game against Russia. This is because the usual stars, including Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, among others, withdrew from the squad either because of injury or because their clubs refused to allow them to travel to Russia.

In effect, Coach Eric Chelle will play the game with some players he hurriedly invited to the team, and some of the fringe stars in the Super Eagles set-up.

The Super Eagles had their third and final training session at the 45,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium last night, in preparation for the game slated to start at 8.00 p.m. Nigerian time.

The regular players in the team are Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Stanley Nwabali, Benjamin Frederick and the returning Kelechi Iheanacho.

The new players to complete the squad are Emmanuel Fernandez, Wilfred Igor, Samuel James, Kenneth Igboke, and Chibuzor Nwoko.

Umar Abubakar, Peter Edokpolor, Abdullahi Bewene, Umar Abdullai, Atata Michael, Aderemi Adeoye, Isaac James, Michael Stephen and Ibrahim Ajasa.

But despite the loss of his regular starters, Coach Chelle is optimistic that the new players will rise to the occasion and show Nigerians that they deserve to become regulars in the team.

Russia showed what they could do today when they thrashed Namibia 6-0 in another friendly game on Saturday, but Chelle is not fazed by that result.

Rather, he wants his team to do better than they did in their earlier game against Russia last year.

Speaking for the team on Sunday, forward Akor Adams said that Chelle has told them to use today’s game to appease Nigerians who are still peeved by the 3-0 defeat the Super Eagles suffered in Guinea-Bissau last week.

He said: “It’s still the Super Eagles, and we know what we stand for. The coach has made it clear that we are here to try our best to win. Russia is a very good team as well, and I think they’re very hungry to play games because of their peculiar situation. For us, it’s to give our best.”

Nigeria and Russia last met in June 2025, when they drew 1-1 in Moscow. Tolu Arokodare scored Nigeria’s equaliser after Semi Ajayi’s own goal had given the hosts the lead.

Adams said the players were conscious of the responsibility to deliver both a positive result and an improved performance.

“I know Nigerians are watching. They love football a lot, and they love the Super Eagles a lot. And, yeah, come out with a good result and also a good performance.”

Iheanacho, who is one of the longest-serving players in the squad, sees the game as an opportunity to show Nigerians that he is still a player they can rely on.

Speaking on his enduring passion for the national team, Iheanacho, who now plays in the Turkish second division for Bursaspor, said that representing Nigeria has always been a privilege, regardless of the level or importance of the competition.

In a podcast by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday, Iheanacho said: “I have been in the Super Eagles, even in the national team in general, for a long, long time.

“Starting from the U-12 and U-13, U-15, U-17 and all the rest of them to the Super Eagles, I’ve been here for a very long time.”

He stressed that his commitment to the national team has never depended on the stature of the competition.