Flying Eagles suffer World Cup blow as Marvelous Freedom is ruled out with injury, with Haruna Aliyu called up to strengthen Nigeria’s U-20 squad

Flying Eagles preparations for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup have suffered a major blow after defender Marvelous Freedom was ruled out of the tournament through injury.

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Freedom, who features for Ikorodu City, damaged his knee during a training session earlier this week. Medical assessments confirmed the recovery period would be too long for him to take part in the competition, which begins next week in Chile.

The setback is particularly painful as the promising centre-back had been tipped to play a crucial role in bolstering Nigeria’s defence.

Head coach Aliyu Zubairu has responded by recalling Haruna Aliyu of Wikki Tourists as a replacement. The defender had been part of the squad during the initial camp but was dropped before the final travelling list was confirmed.

Now offered a second chance, Aliyu is expected to fly out to Chile on Friday morning to link up with his teammates ahead of the tournament.

Nigeria begin their campaign against Norway on Monday, with Colombia and Saudi Arabia completing what is expected to be a challenging group.

Despite the absence of Freedom, Zubairu expressed confidence in his squad’s ability to rise to the occasion.

The Flying Eagles boast a proud history in youth football, having reached the U-20 World Cup final on multiple occasions, and fans are hopeful this team can replicate those feats.

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With Aliyu’s inclusion, the squad will continue final preparations in Chile, determined to make a strong start and keep alive Nigeria’s dream of lifting the U-20 crown.