The NPFL Midfielder Aiming to Challenge Iwobi in the Super Eagles XI

The NPFL Midfielder Aiming to Challenge Iwobi in the Super Eagles XI
Credit: Icon Sport

The head coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles Jose Peseiro, has named his 23-man squad for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying game against Sierra Leone. The list was unveiled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through their Twitter handle on Friday.

Interestingly, four home based players who play in the Nigeria Professional Football League received invitations from the Super Eagles coach for the forthcoming AFCON 2023 Qualifying games. They are Victor Sochima who plays for Rivers United, Olorunleke Ojo who plays for the recent champions, Enyimba FC; Divine Nwachukwu who plays for Bendel Insurance, and Chidiebube Duru who plays for Rivers United.

Amongst the home based players called up, Divine Nwachukwu is the only player who will be making his first appearance for the Super Eagles, the others have been called up in previous occasions.

Who is the NPFL Midfielder Divine Nwachukwu?

Divine Nwachukwu, Bendel Insurance player
Credit @BendelInsurance Twitter

Divine Nwachukwu is an attacking midfielder who currently plays for Bendel Insurance in the Nigerian Premier League, he was born on 25 May, 2003.

He joined Bendel Insurance from Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Adoration FC in 2022. The midfielder in his debut campaign with Insurance dazzled in the middle of the park. He played a key role in the team’s remarkable 26-match unbeaten run across all competitions, which was only recently ended by a 2-1 defeat to Rivers United at the Championship playoffs.

He represented Nigeria at the U-15 African Youth Championship in Morocco, 2018; U-17 World Cup in Brazil, 2019 and Nigeria U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier's match in 2023. He has gone through the ranks of Nigeria's under-age national teams before earning his first call-up to the Super Eagles.

Divine Nwachukwu has been tipped as a player of immense potential and a shining star for the future. And now the time appears set for the youngster to prove himself to coach Poseiro in the Super Eagles.

It is not known if the NPFL midfielder will start against Sierra Leone considering Nigeria's talent in the middle of the park. However, a substitute appearance should be enough for the Insurance player to make his debut and impress Nigerians once more.

How did Divine Nwachukwu React to the News of his Invitation?

The Bendel Insurance star has been one of the standout players at the just concluded NPFL playoffs. His eye-catching performances did not go unnoticed, as he got rewarded for his performances in the decisive Super Six title rounds. Reacting to his invitation to the Super Eagles squad to face Sierra Leone in Monrovia, he had this to say:

“I feel amazing, amazing! amazing stuff for me. Honestly, I am surprised. I can't believe myself right now. I give glory to God for that. It is a great thing for me and a great motivation for me. To get an invitation to the national team is not easy and I hope I keep the tempo high and keep working hard to achieve greater things. It's not easy to get called up to the Super Eagles to represent this great country and I believe with this, more is to come.”

The exciting NPFL midfielder scored three goals in five matches for Bendel Insurance at the Super Six playoffs from midfield. However, his goals were not enough for the Benin Arsenal to win the title, nor was it enough to secure a place in CAF competitions ahead of next season, because Bendel Insurance finished the playoffs in 5th position with just 3 points.

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Joseph is a freelance writer who spends most of his time writing engaging football contents. Based in Nigeria, Joseph is a die-hard Real Madrid fan with over 8 years experience in the sports betting space. He has covered football match previews, predictions, and news across leagues in Africa and Europe.