Flying Eagles invite Arsenal, Inter Milan and AC Milan stars for U20 World Cup

Flying Eagles of Nigeria head coach Ladan Bosso has extended invitations to Joel Ideho of Arsenal, Victor Eletu of AC Milan, and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro of Inter ahead of the FIFA U20 World Cup slated for the end of May to the middle of June. 

Bosso confirmed the invitation of the youngsters at a press conference following the official group stage draws. 

The former El-Kanemi Warriors and Abia Warriors manager said he had drawn up a preliminary list of players for the tournament, axing up to 10 players from the side that reached the semifinals of the 2023 U20 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Bosso said he would invite 12 foreign players to the camp for the World Cup, stressing that only the best players available to the country would be selected. 

Speaking on his selection choices, Bosso said, “For now I have addressed the areas where I noticed we had problems at the Africa Cup of Nations. In the area of goalkeepers, I don’t think we need another hand, in defence, I have one foreign-based player lined up and in midfield, I have called three players Ebenezer Akinsanmiro from Inter Milan, Victor Eletu from AC Milan, and Tochukwu Nnadi from Botev Plovdiv in Bulgaria.” 

He also said he wanted to bolster the team’s attack with players like Joel Ideho. 

“I brought in the boy ( Emmanuel Umeh) from Bulgaria into the team and the Arsenal kid (Joel Ideho),” Bosso said. 

Nigeria have been drawn against Brazil, Italy, and the Dominican Republic, in the proverbial group of death, but coach Bosso is confident that his team can survive the group, and is looking to start strong against the Dominican Republic in the first game of the season. 

The Flying Eagles' best finish at the U20 World Cup are their runner-up finishes in 1989 and 2005.