Nigeria’s Super Eagles will have a new on-field leader for their AFCON 2025 semi-final clash with host nation Morocco, with Victor Osimhen set to wear the captain’s armband. The development follows the suspension of regular captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is ruled out due to accumulated yellow cards.
The high-stakes match is scheduled for Wednesday night in Rabat, as Nigeria chase a spot in the AFCON final against a Morocco side aiming to win the tournament on home soil.
Why Ndidi is out
Reports say Ndidi’s ban is an automatic one-match suspension triggered by tournament rules on cautions. He was booked earlier in the tournament and then cautioned again in the knockout rounds—meaning he must sit out the semi-final.
Some coverage also notes Ndidi picked up a knock in Nigeria’s last outing, but the decisive factor for missing Morocco is the suspension.
Why Osimhen gets the armband
Osimhen is one of Nigeria’s most influential players in the tournament—both for goals and overall attacking leadership. Vanguard reports the striker was appointed vice-captain on the eve of AFCON 2025 and has captained Nigeria before, including in a previous group-stage fixture.
With Ndidi unavailable, handing Osimhen the armband is seen as a continuity move: the team is elevating an existing leader within the squad rather than making an experimental choice at the semi-final stage.
Nigeria vs Morocco: what we know about the semi-final
Morocco enter the match as hosts with strong backing and a clear motivation to lift the trophy in front of home fans. Al Jazeera’s match build-up highlights the venue and timing and frames the tie as one of the tournament’s biggest fixtures.
Nigeria, meanwhile, arrive with momentum after their quarter-final win over Algeria—where Osimhen played a decisive role.
What Ndidi’s absence changes for Nigeria
Ndidi is widely regarded as Nigeria’s midfield shield—key for:
- breaking up counterattacks,
- screening the defence, and
- stabilising the team when the opponent dominates possession.
Without him, Nigeria’s tactical focus will likely shift toward tighter spacing in midfield and smarter game management, especially if Morocco press high early.
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