Nigeria Super Eagles suffer injury blow, lose Wilfred Ndidi for crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Nigeria’s national men’s team, the Super Eagles, have suffered a setback after star midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, has been ruled out of the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Pulse Sports Nigeria can report that Ndidi is expected out until the international break following comments from his manager at Leicester City, Enzo Maresca. 

Ndidi, who has been in fine form this season as Leicester battle for a quick return to the Premier League this season, has been a linchpin for the Super Eagles and is seen as a key figure in Nigeria’s bid to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup qualifiers kick off this month, with the Super Eagles set to host Lesotho in Nigeria on November 15th before taking on Zimbabwe three days later.

However, Nigeria will now kick off the qualifiers without the talented defensive midfielder due to a hamstring injury.

The 26-year-old has not featured for the Foxes since October 21, and his manager provided an update ahead of a crucial tie against Leeds United.

Maresca, who has breathed new life into Ndidi at the King Power, has confirmed that the midfielder will miss the clash as he is not expected back until after the international break.

“Wilf (Ndidi) will be out until the international break,” the Leicester boss noted during his pre-match press conference on Friday per a report on the club’s website. 

“It is also a muscular problem. It’s a small thing but when the problem is muscular, even if it’s small, it’s always one week or two weeks because we don’t want to take any risks," he added.

The FIFA World Cup qualifiers are known for their intense competition and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face a tough test on the road to USA 2026. 

Without Ndidi, who captained the side during the last international break, the Jose Peseiro-led Eagles will need to find an adequate replacement and demonstrate resilience in his absence.