Super Eagles suffer setback as Benjamin Fredrick ruled out of 2025 AFCON

Boluwatife Kehinde
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‎Super Eagles defender Benjamin Fredrick has reportedly been ruled out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a knee injury during a training session with Belgian club FCV Fender EH, where he is currently on loan from Brentford.
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‎Sports journalist Ademola Victor announced the development on his WhatsApp channel on Tuesday, stating:
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‎“Super Eagles defender Benjamin Fredrick has reportedly been ruled out of AFCON 2025 after sustaining a knee injury in training with his club in Belgium. He is expected to return after the tournament, although we are still awaiting further confirmation.”
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‎Victor expressed how unfortunate the situation is, especially given the defender’s recent rise in form:
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‎“This is tough news. A few months ago many people wouldn’t have reacted this strongly— that’s how much Benjamin has grown and how important he has become to the national team.” Victor added
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‎The 20-year-old quickly cemented his place in the Super Eagles setup after making his debut in the 2–2 draw against Jamaica on May 31, 2025, a match Nigeria eventually won on penalties to lift the Unity Cup. His impressive performances earned him six consecutive appearances under head coach Eric Chelle.
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‎Fredrick’s setback comes at a difficult time for Nigeria, with the defender expected to feature in the preliminary squad list scheduled to be released soon.
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‎His absence is also a major blow for FCV Fender EH, who currently sit at the bottom of their league table with eight points from 15 matches.