Former Leicester City Star Dreams of Nigeria Return Ahead of AFCONs

Ahmed Musa was absent from Jose Peseiro’s latest Super Eagles selection.

Ahmed Musa has set his sights on a triumphant return to Nigeria’s squad as they gear up for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Musa, who currently holds the captain’s armband for the Super Eagles, has been conspicuously absent from the national squad. However, the 30-year-old winger is determined to make a comeback when Nigeria begins its 2026 World Cup qualification journey in November.

Despite being a longstanding and influential figure in the national team for over a decade, Musa has faced challenges securing his place in recent months, largely due to limited playing time at the club level.

In an interview with Punch Sports Extraz, Musa expressed his eagerness to rejoin the Super Eagles and contribute to their campaign.

“Thank you very much, I appreciate you checking on me. I hope to be back soon for the World Cup qualifiers.”

Musa’s international track record speaks for itself. Notably, he became the first Nigerian to score multiple goals in a World Cup match, achieving this feat with a brace against Argentina during the 2014 World Cup and repeating it against Iceland during the 2018 tournament. He is also Nigeria’s most-capped player in history with 109 appearances for the Super Eagles.

With the 2026 World Cup set to be jointly hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, Musa is determined to make his dream of playing in another World Cup a reality. He also believes that the current squad, led by coach Jose Peseiro, possesses the determination needed to secure a spot in the prestigious tournament after Nigeria’s absence from the previous edition in Qatar.

“It’s my dream to play in another World Cup. I believe we have a squad that is equally determined to qualify,” Musa added.

Over the years, Musa has scored 16 goals for the Super Eagles and was a key part of the squad that clinched victory in the 2013 AFCON under the late coach Stephen Keshi.