The dean of defense for the reigning NPFL champions, Rangers International FC, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, who is also a strong member of the CHAN team, has been given the nod by Super Eagles head coach, Franco-Malian, Eric Chelle, to defend the national flag in the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
Onyebuchi is amongst the 39-man provisional list released by the NFF, Tuesday, that also have NPFL stars like goalkeeper, Kayode Bankole, Papa Daniel Mustapha, and skipper, Ahmed Musa (O.O.N).
The tough tackling defense ace who have featured twenty-eight times in all competitions for the ‘Flying Antelopes’ this season has also endeared himself to the Home Based Super Eagles team handlers with some sterling performances in the qualifiers for the next CAF TotalEnergies African Nations Championship KE-TZ-UG 2024 where Nigeria has been grouped with the likes of Senegal, Congo and Sudan.
G.M/CEO of Rangers, Amobi Ezeaku Esq., while reacting to the invitation of one of the club’s most consistent performer to the main stream senior male national team, said, “This is simply a reward for hard work. Onyebuchi has displayed a high sense of professionalism since joining us at Rangers with a lot of dedicated performances which I believe got the attention of the national team selectors and I believe he will deliver the goods at the highest stage. I strongly believe that he is the next big thing to happen in our football.”
