Nigeria striker Cyriel Dessers has been ruled out for up to 12 weeks after suffering a thigh injury during the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The Panathinaikos forward, 31, was a notable absentee from the team sheet during Nigeria’s 3-1 group-stage victory over Uganda and has now left the camp to return to Greece.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle confirmed the scan results ahead of Nigeria’s round-of-16 clash against Mozambique on Monday.
“Dessers spoke with me this morning. He has an injury and will be out for maybe 10 to 12 weeks,” Chelle said. “I’m disappointed for him. We need to play a good game for him tomorrow.”
Season of frustration
The injury marks another devastating setback in what has been a difficult year for the former Rangers man.
Since completing a €4.6m move to Panathinaikos in the summer, Dessers has struggled to maintain fitness. An ankle issue earlier in the season saw him miss 16 matches, and he had only managed 139 minutes of football in December before joining the national squad.
Despite the blow, Chelle remains focused on the knockout stages, insisting his squad has the depth to cope.
“We have to do the work in front of us,” the coach added. “We don’t need to worry; we have to play a great game.”
End of the road for the Super Eagle?
For Dessers, the timing could not be worse. Having never represented Nigeria at a major tournament, this 12-week layoff effectively ends his AFCON dream.
With the striker turning 33 before the next edition of the tournament and the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, questions are already being asked about his international future. Unless he can rediscover the clinical form seen during his spells at Cremonese and Feyenoord, his chances of featuring on the big stage for Nigeria appear increasingly slim.
Analysis: missed opportunity
Nigeria have plenty of firepower in the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, but Dessers offered a different, physical profile off the bench.
His absence, alongside a deep cut sustained by defender Ryan Alebiosu, tests the resolve of Eric Chelle’s side just as the tournament enters the business end.
For Dessers personally, the “major tournament” hoodoo continues to haunt a career that has promised so much.
