“After a lot of thought, I have decided to retire from international football, bringing to an end almost 15 years with the Super Eagles. From the very first call-up, wearing the green and white meant everything to me.”

Ahmed Musa made the announcement on his social media platforms, yesterday

Musa who is now 33-year-old made his senior national team debut on September 5, 2010 in the qualification match for the 2012 AFCON against Madagascar at the age of 17.

He recalled his early years in the national team setup, noting that his rise coincided with invitations to multiple national teams at the same time.

“I was just a young boy when the journey started. I remember being invited at the same time to the U-20, U-23 and the Super Eagles. I was young, still learning, and always travelling, but I never complained.

Whenever Nigeria called, I showed up,” he said.

Musa retired as Nigeria’s most capped international, having made 111 appearances for the Super Eagles.

He described the milestone as a source of pride and responsibility: “To become the most capped player in the history of Nigerian football is a great honour. Every time I wore the jersey, I understood the responsibility that came with it,” he said.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is set to miss about $10.5 million out of the $727 million huge financial outlay by FIFA for teams participating in the 2026 Wold Cup.

The Super Eagles’ World Cup campaign ended in disappointment after they lost in the final round of the playoffs to DR Congo.

The setback not only denied Nigeria a ticket to the Mundial but also shut out the country from significant financial rewards attached to participation.

The world soccer ruling body said the prize money for next year’s World Cup will be 50% higher than the previous edition after agreeing a record $727 million financial contribution to the tournament on Wednesday.

The biggest slice of FIFA’s funding package for the North American showpiece – $655 million – will be performance-based payments to 48 participating nations with the champions taking $50 million and the runners-up $33 million.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will also be groundbreaking in terms of its financial contribution to the global football community,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The 16 nations that fail to survive beyond the initial group phase will earn $9 million while in addition, each qualified nation is entitled to $1.5 million to cover preparation costs.

This means that the NFF will miss at least $10.5 million if the team had qualified for the Mundial but that would not to be unless the federation is able to push through its protest on the alleged ineligibility of some of the Congolese players in the ill-fated play-off encounter in November.

The qualified teams in the group D are : Benin, Botswana, Senegal, and the DR Congo.

Benin

Goalkeepers:

Saturnin Allagbe (Chauray/FRA), Marcel Dandjinou (Kruger Utd/RSA), Serge Obassa (Remo Stars/NGR)

Defenders:

Charlemagne Azongnitode (Oulo/FIN), Rodrigue Fassinou (Coton Sport), David Kiki (FCSB/ROM), Abdoul Rachid Moumini (Sumgayit/AZE), Tamimou Ouorou (Sobemap), Yohan Roche (Petrolul Ploiesti/ROM), Attidjikou Samadou (Smouha/EGY), Mohamed Tijani (Yverson/SUI), Olivier Verdon (Ludogorets Razgrad/BUL)

Midfielders:

Matteo Ahlinvi (Arsenal Tula/RUS), Mariano Ahouangbo (Olimpija/SLO), Gislain Ahoudo (Gabes/TUN), Sessi D’Almeida (Neftchi/AZE), Dodo Dokou (Leixoes/POR), Hassane Imourane (Grasshoppers/SUI), Rodrigue Kossi (Hassania Agadir/MAR)

Forwards:

Rodolfo Aloko, Razack Rachidou (both Kustosija/CRO), Adam Akimey (Helsingborgs/SWE), Romaric Amoussou (ASEC Mimosas/CIV), Jodel Dossou (Pays du Valois/FRA), Steve Mounie (Alanyaspor/TUR), Junior Olaitan (Goztepe/TUR), Olatoundji Tessilimi (SJK Seinajoki/FIN), Aiyegun Tosin (Lorient/FRA).

Botswana

Goalkeepers:

Kabelo Dambe (Township Rollers), Keeagile Kgosipula (Mochudi Centre Chiefs), Goitseone Phoko (Jwaneng Galaxy)

Defenders:

Tebogo Kopelang, Thabo Leinanyane, Chicco Molefe (all Jwaneng), Mothusi Johnson, Alford Velaphi (both Gaborone Utd), Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Al Ittihad/LBA), Mosha Gaolaolwe (Rollers), Shanganani Ngada (Mochudi)

Midfielders:Gilbert Baruti, Monty Enosa (both Mochudi), Lebogang Ditsele, Thabo Maponda (both Gaborone), Mothusi Cooper (Rollers), Godiraone Modingwane (BDF), Gape Mohutsiwa (Mouloudia Oran/ALG), Olebogeng Ramotse (Jwaneng).

Forwards:

Omaatla Kebatho, Thabang Sesinyi (both Jwaneng), Segolame Boy (Sua Flamingoes), Thatayaone Kgamanyane (Gaborone Utd), Tumisang Orebonye (Wydad Casablanca/MAR), Losika Ratshukudu (Ubuntu/RSA), Kabelo Seakanyeng (MAS Fes/MAR).

DR Congo

Goalkeepers:

Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege/BEL), Timothy Fayulu (Noah/ARM), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre/FRA)

Defenders:Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham Utd/ENG), Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian/SCO), Gedeon Kalulu (Aris Limassol/CYP), Steve Kapuadi (Legia Warsaw/POL), Joris Kayembe (Genk/BEL), Arthur Masuaku (Sunderland/ENG), Chancel Mbemba (Lille/FRA), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley/ENG)

Midfielders:

Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Celtic/SCO), Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow/RUS), Brian Cipenga (Castellon/ESP), Edo Kayembe (Watford/ENG), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier/FRA),Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos/GRE), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille/FRA), Charles Pickel (Espanyol/ESP), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland/ENG), Mario Stroeykens (Anderlecht/BEL)

Forwards:

Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis/ESP), Simon Banza (Al Jazira/UAE), Meschak Elia (Alanyaspor/TUR), Samuel Essende (Augsburg/GER), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids/EGY).

Senegal

Goalkeepers:

Mory Diaw (Le Havre/FRA), Yehvann Diouf (Nice/FRA), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli/KSA).

Defenders:

Ilay Camara (Anderlecht/BEL), Krepin Diatta (Monaco/FRA), El Hadji Diouf (West Ham/ENG), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray/TUR), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal/KSA), Antoine Mendy (Nice/FRA), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon/FRA), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg/FRA), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR)

Midfielders:Lamine Camara (Monaco/FRA), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Habib Diarra (Sunderland/ENG), Idrissa Gueye (Everton/ENG), Pape Gueye (Villarreal/ESP), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham/ENG)

Forwards:

Boulaye Dia (Lazio/ITA), Habib Diallo (Metz/FRA), Assane Diao (Como/ITA), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich/GER on loan from Chelsea/ENG), Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/RSA), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor/TUR), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton/ENG), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz/FRA), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace/ENG).

(AFP)