Nigeria’s disappointing early exit from the 2024 CHAN in Tanzania means Eric Chelle and his squad will return home with plenty to think about.
One win and two defeats in the group stage is hardly the form of a side ready to take Africa by storm. But while that campaign is done, the real battles are about to begin.
The Super Eagles have two make-or-break 2026 World Cup qualifiers on the horizon: Rwanda on September 6, followed just three days later by South Africa.
With Nigeria sitting precariously in fourth place in Group C — seven points behind leaders South Africa and trailing Rwanda and Benin as well — the pressure has never been this intense In short. Lose more ground now, and the dream of reaching North America will look bleak.
For Chelle, the solution starts with getting the forward line right. His 4-4-2 diamond system demands two reliable centre-forwards, and while he had the luxury of four big names in March — Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Sadiq Umar, and Tolu Arokodare — only one or two look truly fit for purpose today.
Osimhen: The non-negotiable
If there’s one name that writes itself onto Chelle’s team sheet, it’s Victor Osimhen.
Nigeria’s second all-time top scorer has just sealed his high-profile move to Galatasaray, where he’s already set to become the talisman of Turkish football.
Though his pre-season was disrupted, his return to match fitness is only a matter of days away, and when he plays, he delivers. Simply put, if Osimhen is walking, he’s starting.
Arokodare: A young gun in limbo
Tolu Arokodare’s trajectory has been a rollercoaster.
Last season’s top scorer in Belgium, his first taste of Super Eagles action came earlier this year under Chelle and he even marked it with a goal against Russia in June.
Yet, with his transfer dream stalled and his place at Genk uncertain, his focus has wavered. Chelle rates him highly, but the young striker must show he’s fully dialled in if he’s to keep his spot.
Boniface and Sadiq: The forgotten men
Things look far less rosy for Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar. A managerial change at Bayer Leverkusen has seen Boniface reduced to a fringe role, while Sadiq has been frozen out entirely at Real Sociedad. No minutes, no match sharpness, and little chance of forcing Chelle’s hand. Both look destined to miss September’s squad.
Alternatives: Who steps up?
If Boniface and Sadiq are out, the question becomes: who comes in?
Taiwo Awoniyi would usually be first choice, but he’s enduring his own struggles in the Premier League.
Terem Moffi is still building rhythm after a long-term injury, while Josh Maja has faced similar setbacks. That leaves Chelle with a shortlist of under-the-radar options.
Paul Onuachu has already found the net for Trabzonspor this season and brings the kind of aerial threat few defenders relish. Cyriel Dessers, too, has managed a couple competitive goal in the new campaign for Scotland and remains a proven finisher when confidence is flowing.
Then there’s Christantus Uche, a name not many expected to be in this conversation. Yet after tearing apart Celta Vigo with a goal and assist on La Liga’s opening weekend, the Getafe man looks a wild card worth playing.
The verdict
The challenge for Chelle is balancing experience with form. Osimhen is untouchable, Arokodare remains a promising gamble, while Onuachu and Dessers have the fitness and scoring touch to complement the frontline. Uche, meanwhile, represents a bold, almost romantic choice: young, fearless, and capable of catching Rwanda or South Africa cold.
If Chelle is brave, he’ll go with Osimhen, Onuachu, Dessers, and Uche. That quartet blends pedigree, presence, and unpredictability; qualities Nigeria will need if they are to claw their way back into World Cup contention.
Nigeria’s route to the 2026 World Cup depends on Chelle’s next striker call.
