Flying Eagles defender Adamu Maigari has been ruled out of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup after sustaining an injury during training, Daily Post has learned.
The setback is a major blow for Nigeria’s U-20 side, as Maigari had established himself as one of the team’s most consistent performers in recent tournaments. Medical assessments confirmed that the right-back will not recover in time to feature at the World Cup, which begins later this month.
Maigari was a standout player for the Flying Eagles earlier this year at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt, where Nigeria claimed third place. He started all six of the team’s matches and was named Man of the Match in one of the fixtures, underlining his importance to the squad. His absence now leaves a gap in defence that head coach Aliyu Zubairu will need to fill quickly before the tournament begins.
Despite this setback, the Flying Eagles continue their preparations with determination. The team is scheduled to fly out to Chile on Sunday for a final training camp ahead of the World Cup. During this period, Zubairu and his coaching staff are expected to assess available options and finalise the group that will travel to the competition. The final squad list will be made public on September 19.
Nigeria has been drawn into Group F, where they will face Norway, Colombia, and Saudi Arabia in what promises to be a competitive group stage. With Maigari unavailable, much attention will be on who steps up to fill his role in defence as the Flying Eagles aim to make a strong impact on the world stage.
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