Two exceptional players have already established themselves among the top players in the competition, but Nigeria's Flying Eagles still have work to do in their pursuit of continental success at the 2025 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
As a testament to their reliability, leadership, and skill on the field, Odinaka Okoro and Captain Daniel Bameyi were included in the official CAF Best XI of the group stage.
Their presence in the esteemed lineup follows the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) announcement of the top players from the tournament's opening round, which was decided by the Technical Study Group.
The pair, who together make up half of the tournament's best back four, provide defensive consistency and set an example for Nigeria.
A well-known name among Nigerian supporters, Bameyi remains a lucky charm for the country's young team.
Alongside him, Okoro has subtly become one of the competition's revelations.
During the group stage, Nigeria only allowed two goals against Kenya thanks in large part to the two defenders. They also kept two clean sheets in a tense 1-0 victory against Tunisia and a 0-0 stalemate with tournament favorites Morocco.
U-20 AFCON Group Stage XI
Goalkeeper: Levison Banda (Zambia)
Defenders: Nathaniel Jalloh (Sierra Leone) Odinaka Okoro (Nigeria) Daniel Bameyi (Nigeria) Dacosta Antwi (Ghana)
Midfielders: Kevin Wangaya (Kenya) Lazola Maku (South Africa) Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone)
Forwards: Joseph Sabobo (Zambia) Othmane Maamma (Morocco) Samuel Ntanda-Lukisa (DR Congo)