When Nigeria’s Flying Eagles crashed out of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup after a 4–0 defeat to Argentina, many fans began to question the team’s attacking choices, Footynaija.com reports.
One name that stood out among those missing was Hafiz Umar Ibrahim. The striker from Stade de Reims was one of those potentially expected to lead the line in Aliyu Zubairu’s squad.
Ibrahim was initially part of Zubairu’s provisional list for the tournament. The 19-year-old forward joined the Flying Eagles’ training camp, spent over a week with the team, and even completed all required medical tests.
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Many factors pointed to him making the final cut alongside others. But just days before the final list was announced, his name disappeared.
According to a report by Soccernet, a source familiar with the situation revealed that: “They told everyone that his club, [Stade] Reims, didn’t release him — but that was a lie. The club had released him for international duty. He was ready to travel. What happened was pure politics.”
The claim contradicted earlier reports suggesting that Reims had refused to release their young striker.
Before this omission, Ibrahim had been one of Nigeria’s brightest attacking prospects in Europe. After lighting up the 2024 Viareggio Cup with ten goals in six matches, he earned a four-year deal with Stade de Reims.
His early form in France was electric. He scored nine goals in nine appearances for the club’s B team before breaking into the senior side.
He made his Ligue 1 debut in February 2025 and later scored and assisted in the Coupe de France semi-final, helping Reims reach their first cup final in nearly fifty years.
Given that form, his absence raised eyebrows. Even more so when the Flying Eagles strikers failed to score a single goal at the World Cup, with their highest scorer being defender Daniel Bameyi, who managed just two goals.
Ibrahim had done everything required to make the team. He was fit, cleared, and available. But as the unnamed source revealed, his removal had little to do with footballing reasons.
