By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
After one year and nine months of forced exclusion from Nigeria’s senior men’s football team, former youth international Francis Odinaka Uzoho made a surprise return to the Morocco-bound Super Eagles as head coach Eric Sekou Chelle included him in the 28-man list that will represent the country in the 35th African Cup of Nations (AFCON) which kicks off on December 21, 2025 in Morocco.
Uzoho, whose last appearance for Nigeria came during the AFCON 2023 match against Cameroon in Ivory Coast when he replaced Stanley Nwabali, who got injured in the game and had to be substituted, was frozen out of the Super Eagles for nearly two years by the three coaches who led Nigeria in both AFCON 2025 and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
During this period, former gaffers José Peseiro and his immediate successor George Finidi found Uzoho surplus to requirement while the incumbent coach Chelle did not invite him for once since he took over the mantle of leadership of the Super Eagles more than a year ago.
Based on his long absence from the Super Eagles set up and the inability of the coaches to invite him to camp in the recent memory, many Nigerians did not expect that Uzoho would be considered as one of the three goalkeepers coach Chelle will take to AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
But the Franco-Malian Chelle surprised even his harshest critics by recalling the highly-talented Cyprus-based goalkeeper to the national team to fight for the No.1 shirt of Super Eagles when the AFCON 2025 kicks off in Morocco.
Uzoho, who started five out of Nigeria’s six games in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers, where Super Eagles topped their group but however, lost his starting place in the team to Stanley Nwabali during the main phase of the tournament in Ivory Coast, has been presented a lifeline to reclaim the first choice tag if he could convince the head coach and his assistants both in trainings and the upcoming international friendly match against Egypt in Cairo next week.
The Omonia FC of Cyprus goalkeeper, who was in March 2023, named Nigerian Goalkeeper of the Year at the Nigeria Pitch Awards, has starred 30 times for Super Eagles including starting all three of Nigeria team’s games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Prior to his senior FIFA World Cup debut, Uzoho represented Nigeria U-17 at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Aged only 14, he was an immediate backup to Dele Alampasu.
In October 2017, Uzoho received his first call-up to the Nigerian senior squad and made his full international debut on November 14, replacing Daniel Akpeyi in a 4–2 friendly win against Argentina.
He withdrew from the national squad in November 2018 due to a serious injury but was a squad member at the 2019 AFCON and was in goal for Nigeria in the 3rd place match against Tunisia, which they won.
However, in October 2019, Uzoho suffered a ligament injury in a friendly match against Brazil and underwent surgery in November 2019
Uzoho’s injuries and recent performances had reduced him to a back-up role at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. In his only appearance in the competition, Uzoho kept a clean sheet against Guinea-Bissau in the group stage. His team would later be eliminated in the round of 16.
However, Uzoho’s lowest point came on March 29 2022, when he was in the goalpost for Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 African qualifier tie against Ghana at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. He suffered criticism for his performance, as an error on his behalf led to a goal for Ghana and ultimately cost his team entry to the World Cup.
He tendered an apology, mentioning, “I wanted to take my nation to Qatar but rather did the opposite.”
Although national teammates and ex-internationals, like Alex Iwobi and Vincent Enyeama, showed support for Uzoho, many Nigerians were not happy with him for a long time.
But the recent erratic behaviour of Nwabali, the man who replaced him as Super Eagles No.1 in the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, must have influenced the decision of coach Chelle to invite Uzoho to camp ahead of the tournament in Morocco.
The Nwangele, Imo state-born Uzoho, who started his football career when he was 14 years at Aspire Academy branch in Senegal in 2013, is known to have a calmer disposition but boldness of a lion in goal, qualities that have seen him receive praises especially for his performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League.
Although Omonia lost 1-0 to a late goal, Uzoho made 12 saves on the night. He was later nominated for the Europa League Player of the Week and Save of the Day awards in that season.
Uzoho, who already has AFCON runner-up (Silver medal)-2023 and third place (Bronze medal)-2019
as well as a national honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), will certainly be aiming to win the ultimate crown in Morocco with the Super Eagles as Nigeria’s No.1 goalkeeper.
This should be enough motivation for Uzoho to grab the opportunity offered him by Super Eagles gaffer Eric Sekou Chelle to write a new chapter of football career.
Yes, you can!
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