Tochukwu Nnadi savours Super Eagles call-up as lifelong dream fulfilled

Tochukwu Nnadi says his surprise call-up to Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 squad is nothing short of a childhood dream coming to life.

The 22-year-old midfielder, who has been in eye-catching form for Belgian side Zulte Waregem this season, is one of five new faces included in the Super Eagles list for the tournament in Morocco.​

Nnadi admitted he did not expect the invitation to come this soon in his career, but described the moment as deeply emotional for him and his family.

“I was happy, my family was happy as well. It’s a dream come true. Since I was young, I’ve been dreaming to play for the national team,” he said, recalling his journey from Nigeria’s under-20s to the senior side. He added: “I played in the under 20 and now I’m in the Super Eagles. I wasn’t expecting it to be too soon, but now I’m here and I’m happy.”​

Looking ahead to AFCON, the former Flying Eagles star did not hide his ambition. “I know being in the national team comes with a lot of pressure. I come from a country with over 200 million people. Playing for them, I know it’s heavy but I’m here to show my quality, fight for the team and I hope we win the AFCON,” Nnadi stressed, underlining both the weight of expectation and his determination to embrace it.