Francis Uzoho has described his return to the Super Eagles squad as a thrilling moment ahead of the 2025 African Cup of Nations.
The Omonia Nicosia goalkeeper earned a recall to the squad after over a year away from the team, with his inclusion in Nigeria’s final 28-man squad for the 2025 AFCON tournament.
The 27-year-old last represented the Super Eagles at the 2023 African Cup of Nations, although his last appearance came in a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifier in 2023.
Uzoho has made 35 appearances for the three-time African champions and will be eyeing a major role when the tournament begins in Morocco, especially with the fitness doubts surrounding first-choice goalie Stanley Nwabali.
“I missed quite a lot. But like I think I missed the boys to be honest. I missed the boys, I missed the vibe in the camp, you know, because we’ve been quite a lot together”, the Omonia Nicosia goalkeeper admitted.
“Yeah, I think the most noticeable thing I missed is the boys being around, the boys and us being together in all types of challenges. We do once in a while chat, we check up on each other. Yeah. So I like, you know, I have my own colleagues that I’m quite closer to but in general I do reach out to the boys.”
Uzoho was the first player to arrive in camp for the Super Eagles, showing his eagerness to return to action after a while away.
He is expected to start in goal for Nigeria when they clash with Egypt in a preparatory friendly match on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.
“I was filled with joy, you know, a joy that I cannot actually express to you right now. So yeah, it was relieving to know that I’m coming back again to be with the boys and to have that same feeling we used to have before and to represent Nigeria, which is the most important thing,”, he continued.
“I think anybody that is called up into the national team is ready. You know, if you’re not ready, you won’t be called up. I think the technical crews, the scouts, they know what they’re doing and for them to call somebody up, they know that the person is ready to represent the country. So basically, I am ready and if the time comes and the country needs me, I will be ready.”
Nigeria and Egypt face-off on Tuesday, before both sides jet off to Morocco to battle against 22 other nations for a shot at glory.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
