Why Benjamin Frederick Won’t Play For Super Eagles At 2025 AFCON

Nigeria have been dealt a heavy blow ahead of next month’s AFCON in Morocco, with young defender Benjamin Frederick ruled out of the tournament after picking up a knee injury.

Benjamin Frederick, 20, who has quickly become one of the most promising additions to the Super Eagles squad, has been sidelined after missing FCV Dender’s 2-1 win over Royal Antwerp at the weekend.

Initial confusion over his absence has now given way to confirmation that the Brentford loanee faces a significant spell on the sidelines. According to journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, he will miss the entire AFCON campaign to focus fully on his recovery.

Frederick’s rise has been remarkable since earning his first senior call-up in May. With the Unity Cup taking place at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, Eric Chelle seized the chance to hand the academy graduate his international debut, and the youngster wasted no time proving he belonged on the big stage.

He featured for the full 90 minutes as Nigeria edged Jamaica on penalties after a 2-2 draw, and from that point on became a constant presence in Chelle’s line-up.

He has started all six of Nigeria’s competitive fixtures since his debut, with the team avoiding defeat in regular time whenever he played.

Benjamin Frederick battled through fatigue and muscle cramps to complete 120 minutes in the 4-1 win over Gabon in November and repeated the effort days later in the clash with DR Congo, even as Nigeria’s World Cup hopes slipped away.

Chelle, who has openly admired the defender’s maturity and composure, now faces the task of reshaping a back line that had begun to revolve around Frederick’s calm influence. William Troost-Ekong had already seen his place come under threat, with Frederick’s emergence pushing him out of the starting side.

The news further complicates Nigeria’s preparations, especially with Ola Aina’s availability still uncertain for the tournament. Although Aina has returned to individual training, he is yet to be declared fit for competitive action.