Super Eagles goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye is feeling good about his return to the national team. With Nigeria’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on the horizon, Adeleye has praised head coach Eric Chelle and spoken highly of his fellow goalkeepers, Stanley Nwabali and Amas Obasogie.
Adeleye, who was recently recalled to the 23-man squad for the upcoming matches against Rwanda and South Africa, told Football Fans Tribe that he’s been impressed with Chelle’s approach. “He is a good coach, very friendly with the players. I feel good and I am happy to be back in the squad again,” the Volos FC goalkeeper said.
He also described his relationship with Nwabali and Obasogie as a positive one. Adeleye called the two shot-stoppers “amazing guys” and noted that the atmosphere among the goalkeepers has been excellent.
The Super Eagles are now focused on a redemption-filled match against Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday, September 6. The last time the two teams met in the Akwa Ibom capital, Nigeria suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat. With a spot in the 2026 World Cup on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher this time around.
For Adeleye, a victory is all that matters. “The most important thing is to win this game,” he said. “It’s a very important game for us to win and we just have to give our best and get a better result to help us qualify for the World Cup.”
Looking ahead, Adeleye is confident in the team’s readiness. He said the squad views the upcoming World Cup qualifiers as a vital build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and their collective mindset is to perform at their best.
On a personal level, Adeleye was tight-lipped about his own ambitions for the season, saying, “That’s my secret, I cannot say. Let’s face these two games first, and from these two games, we’ll know what’s going to happen in the future.”
While he is expected to start on the bench, Adeleye remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can turn their qualifying campaign around and deliver a victory for their fans.
