Nigeria names provisional 30-man squad for World Cup
ABUJA: Tianjin Teda midfielder John Obi Mikel was named as Nigeria captain when the country’s provisional 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup was released on Monday.
Nigeria are the only one of Africa’s five representatives from the last World Cup to return for the 2018 edition, which is being hosted by Russia from June 14 to July 15. The team representing Africa’s most populous nation will be looking to improve on their progression to the last 16 in Brazil but the side have been drawn in one of the toughest groups in what will be their fifth World Cup appearance.
German coach Gernot Rohr named 31-year-old former Chelsea midfielder Mikel as his captain for the extended squad, which was announced in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation.
Chelsea wingback Victor Moses was Nigeria’s top scorer in the qualifying campaign with three goals, while Mikel, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon and Kelechi Iheanacho weighed in with two goals apiece.
All invited players have been told to report to a hotel in Uyo, capital of the southern state of Akwa Ibom, on May 21 with the final list of 23 players needing to be submitted to FIFA by June 4.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group D in Russia, alongside Argentina, Iceland and Croatia, who they open their tournament against in Kaliningrad on June 16.
Africa’s best performance at the World Cup finals were quarterfinal appearances for Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).
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