Rafiu Durosinmi will not be part of Nigeria’s squad for next week’s friendly against Portugal after being granted permission to leave camp for one of the biggest moments of his personal life, Footynaija reports.
The Pisa striker departed the Super Eagles setup to attend his wedding ceremonies, bringing an early end to what has been a memorable international window for the 23-year-old. While the Nigeria Football Federation initially cited personal reasons for his absence, it has now emerged that the forward travelled home to celebrate his marriage.
Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle approved the request after Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw, allowing the striker to leave the squad before their trip to Portugal. With the wedding taking place only days before the match in Leiria, Durosinmi was unable to continue preparations with the rest of the team.
The timing means the towering striker will miss another opportunity to impress Chelle, having already enjoyed a promising start to his international career.
Durosinmi first caught attention during the Unity Cup in London, where he received his maiden senior call-up. He made his debut from the bench in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe before earning a starting role in the final against Jamaica.
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The former Czech league forward partnered captain Terem Moffi in attack as Nigeria secured a convincing 3-0 win to retain the Unity Cup. His physical presence, ability to hold up the ball and aerial strength quickly made him one of the standout newcomers in the squad.
He also featured in Nigeria’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Poland as Chelle continued to assess his attacking options ahead of future competitive fixtures.
Nigeria will now face Portugal without the in-form striker, although the squad has been boosted by the arrivals of Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Christian Akpan. The friendly in Leiria will provide another important test for Chelle’s side against one of Europe’s strongest football nations.
