Friendly: Simon To Lead New-Look Super Eagles Against Russia

Moses Simon will lead a new-look Super Eagles side when Nigeria take on Russia in an international friendly next week Tuesday.

The Paris FC winger was among the players who travelled from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to Moscow on Thursday night ahead of the encounter.

Home-based trio Chibuzor Atata, Aderemi Adeoye, and Kenneth Igboke also made the trip. The three players were members of the Super Eagles squad that won the Unity Cup in London in May.

With captain Wilfred Ndidi withdrawing from the fixture, Simon has emerged as the most senior player in the squad.

Head coach Éric Chelle has assembled a blend of experienced players and new faces for the friendly.

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Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Emmanuel Fernandez, Benjamin Fredrick and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielder Raphael Onyedika, and striker Akor Adams are among those included in the squad.

Experienced forward Kelechi Iheanacho has also been recalled after making an impressive start to life with Turkish club Bursaspor.

Chelle has also handed call-ups to several new players, including Akpe Victory, Suleiman Mubarak, Peter Edokpolor, Abdullahi Umar, and Chibuzo Nwoko.

The friendly will be played at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, and will be the second meeting between Nigeria and Russia in 17 months.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their previous encounter at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 6, 2025.

By Adeboye Amosu

Adeboye Amosu is a seasoned sports journalist and Senior Content Writer with extensive experience covering Nigerian football and international football. He specializes in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), provides insightful coverage, match reports, news, and analysis of the domestic game. Adeboye also follows the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea, bringing his knowledge of the teams, players, and competitions to his writing.