Brown Ideye will return to international football with Nigeria after he earned a call from the country’s interim head coach Salisu Yusuf, for the warm-up games against Mali and Luxembourg.
The Olympiakos forward has been frozen out of the Nigeria men’s national team for more than two years.
Yusuf explained that the coaching crew took time to decide on the choice of Ideye and the other 25 players for the international friendly matches.
“There are lots of good players out there but we have picked 26 that are very good to represent the country,” he told supersport.com.
The 27-year-old scored 10 times for Olympiakos in the Greek Super League as they won the title this season. He also provided three assists.
There are also recalls for Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo and William Troost-Ekong.
Yusuf has also called up under-20 captain Musa Muhammed, Gbenga Arokoyo, Raheem Lawal, Kingsley Madu and Chidozie Awaziem.
Nigeria captain John Mikel Obi, goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, Victor Moses, Moses Simon, Aaron Samuel, Alex Iwobi and Elderson Echiejile are also included in the squad.
The Super Eagles play Mali in France on May 27 before facing Luxembourg on June 1.
THE 26 PLAYERS
Goalkeepers: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars)
Defenders: Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal); Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa SK, Turkey); Leon Balogun (Mainz 05, Germany); Gbenga Arokoyo (Gaziantepspor, Turkey); William Troost Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Wilfred Ndidi KRC Genk, Belgium); Raheem Lawal (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey); Etebo Oghenekaro (SC Farense, Portugal)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (West Ham United, England); Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey); Aaron Samuel (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Olympiakos FC, Greece)
