Out-of-favour Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has expressed his disappointment at having to watch the 2023 AFCON from home.
Initially considered a great addition to Nigeria’s goalkeeping department, the 24-year-old Okoye lost his spot in the team due to inconsistent performances.
His troubles began after the 2021 AFCON, where he made a costly mistake against Tunisia in the round of 16.
Following Nigeria’s elimination from the tournament with a 1-0 loss in the round of 16, many fans blamed Okoye for the team’s exit.
Since then, he has struggled to regain his place in the squad as coach Jose Peseiro favored Francis Uzoho of Omonia over him.
Ultimately, Okoye was left out of the 2023 AFCON squad by coach Jose Peseiro, who opted for Stanley Nwabali from South Africa’s Chippa United instead.
Nwabali performed well, leading Nigeria to the AFCON final, where they were defeated 2-1 by Ivory Coast on February 11, 2024.
“I am very well now. I feel 100 percent. The national team is an important thing for me, and I want to return as soon as possible,” Okoye told his club’s official website.
“It was hard watching the Africa Cup of Nations from home, but this is football.”
Maduka Okoye transferred from Watford to Udinese on August 24, 2023. Since then, the German-born goalkeeper has played in 10 matches across all competitions. During these games, he let in 14 goals and managed to keep three clean sheets.
If he is called back to the national team in the near future, he will need to compete with Francis Uzoho and Stanley Nwabali for the starting goalkeeper position.
