Birmingham City manager, Chris Davies, has shed light on why Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle decided to drop defender Bright Osayi-Samuel from Nigeria’s squad ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
Chelle, who recently made two late changes to his initial squad due to injuries, replaced Osayi-Samuel with Zaidu Sanusi, while Uche Christantus came in for Cyriel Dessers.
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Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Davies explained that the decision was primarily fitness-related, revealing that the 27-year-old fullback was struggling to recover from a minor injury.
“He [Osayi-Samuel] was not really close; he just could not get over that knock that he had,” Davies said. “I don’t think we are talking about something that is going to keep him out for long, but he was not ready.”
Osayi-Samuel, who has been in good form for Birmingham City this season, was expected to feature for the Super Eagles in the upcoming qualifiers. However, Chelle opted against risking the defender, choosing instead to bring in a fully fit replacement.
Nigeria will face Lesotho and Benin Republic in crucial World Cup qualifying matches as the Super Eagles look to secure an early advantage on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
