44-year-old Kano Pillars playmaker Rabiu Ali
Photo Credit: Kano Pillars FC
Nigeria Premier Football League legend Rabiu Ali is the headline star in a 30-player list released by Nigeria national team coach Augustine Eguavoen for 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying matches later in December.
Nigeria will face West African rivals Ghana over two legs in a home-and-away qualifying clash set to take place in late December. Ghana will host the first leg in Accra on December 22 before the teams clash again six days later in Uyo, Nigeria.
The final tournament of the competition, which exclusively features players who play their club football in the countries they represent, will take place February next year in host nations Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Senegal are the reigning champions after capturing the 2022 edition with a victory over hosts Algeria in the final.
For local legend Rabiu Ali, the 44-year-old is looking to participate in his third CHAN after previously leading Nigeria to third place at the 2014 edition in South Africa and runner-up at the 2018 tournament hosted by winners Morocco. Ali scored three goals at the 2014 CHAN and scored once at the 2018 edition giving him four goals over twelve CHAN appearances.
Ali is joined by two Kano Pillars teammates, Aminu Adam Sani and Nelson Abiam, in a group that features players from fifteen Nigerian clubs. The full list of players is below.
Goalkeepers
Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United)
Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC)
Defenders
Imo Obot (Enyimba FC)
Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars)
Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International)
Steven Mayo (Rivers United)
Junior Nduka (Remo Stars)
Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United)
Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City)
Victor Collins (Nasarawa United)
Midfielders
Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars)
Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars)
Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors)
Saviour Isaac (Rangers International)
Kazeem Ogunleye (Rangers International)
Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United)
Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards
Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United)
Adams Aminu Sani (Kano Pillars).
Samuel Ogunleye (3SC)
Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United)
Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars)
Temitope Vincent (Plateau United)
Abiam Nelson (Kano Pillars)
Meyiwa Oritseweyimi (Bendel Insurance)
Osy Martins (Lobi Stars)
Ngbemena Ikechukwu (Heartland FC)
Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors)
Umar Al-Amin Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors)
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