Injury Knocks out Calvin Bassey as Super Eagles Camp Bubbles with Full House

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Nigeria and Fulham Centre-back, Calvin Bassey, has been ruled out of Super Eagles international friendlies against Iran and Jordan starting this weekend.

The hard tackling defender who was outstanding for Nigeria’s backline at the AFCON 2025 in Morocco in January, suffered a back injury and as such will not be available for the two games  in Antalya, Turkey.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Captain Wilfred Ndidi to Eagles camp yesterday afternoon drew the curtain on players expected for the two matches.

All the 22 expected players joined the team’s first training on Wednesday evening.

Head Coach, Eric Chelle, will have to make do with the group of 22, as he plots his tactics and strategies for Friday’s encounter against Iran. 

The two countries have met only twice previously at senior level, with Nigeria winning one and the other drawn.

Ahmed Garba scored a second half goal that separated both teams at the Carlsberg Cup in Hong Kong in January 1998, while the two teams’ Group F clash in Curitiba at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil ended scoreless.

On Friday, Coach Chelle will have a mix of the wise old heads and the ambitious youth to pick from, with 96-cap Alex Iwobi and 95-cap Moses Simon embedded in his squad. 

There are also captain Wilfred Ndidi, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and forwards Paul Onuachu and Samuel Chukwueze.

Atletico Madrid’s Ademola Lookman, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Zaidu Sanusi and Bruno Onyemaechi, midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke are established in the family, but defender Emmanuel Oluwasegun Fernandez and forwards Collins Yira Sor and Philip Otele are stepping into the patio for the first time.

The clash with Iran’s Team Melli starts at 4pm Turkey time (2pm Nigeria time) on Friday, while the encounter with the Jordan senior men’s team will kick off at 8pm Turkey time (6pm Nigeria time) on Tuesday, 31st March.