Ebenezer Akinsanmiro expresses shock and joy after earning his first Super Eagles call-up for AFCON 2025, ready to make an impact in Morocco.

Newly invited Pisa Sporting Club midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has expressed shock and emotion after being named in Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

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Speaking to NFF TV from the Super Eagles’ training camp in Cairo, the uncapped midfielder admitted he could hardly believe his selection by coach Eric Sekou Chelle.

“When I saw the invitation, I called someone close to me and started crying,” Akinsanmiro said. “It has been my dream for a long time.”

Akinsanmiro revealed that his journey to the national team was far from straightforward. He recalled periods of doubt, when he paused football for several months and even considered learning barbing as a potential career.

“At one point, I felt football was not something you can be sure of,” he explained.

The midfielder credited his father and two brothers, who also played football in their youth, for encouraging him to persevere. He also reflected on earlier disappointments, including failed attempts to join Nigeria’s U-17 and U-20 teams, and an injury that temporarily halted his progress.

Now fully fit and brimming with confidence, Akinsanmiro says he is determined to make the most of his opportunity at AFCON 2025.

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“I am grateful for this opportunity and ready to do my best for the Super Eagles,” he added.