Super Eagles Defender Benjamin Fredrick to Miss AFCON 2025 After Suffering Knee Injury

Super Eagles defender Benjamin Fredrick has been ruled out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after sustaining a knee injury during training with Belgian club FCV Dender.

The 20-year-old center-back, who impressed by completing all 120 minutes in Nigeria’s CAF World Cup playoff clashes against Gabon and DR Congo, picked up the injury while preparing with Dender, where he is on loan from Premier League side Brentford.

Initial assessments confirm that Fredrick will be sidelined for approximately 12 weeks, ruling him out of the tournament scheduled to begin later this year. His absence is seen as a major blow to Nigeria’s defensive options, given his recent rise and strong performances in the national team setup.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has already made provisions for a replacement, with the updated squad list expected to be released soon.

Fredrick’s absence comes as a significant setback for Nigeria, who will now need to adjust their defensive plans ahead of AFCON 2025.