Flying Eagles Head to Talca After Intense Camp and Injury Blow

Nigeria’s U-20 men’s team, the Flying Eagles, have concluded their 12-day training camp in Santiago, Chile, with a demanding evening workout at the Cancha training ground.

Nineteen players took part in the two-hour session, held from 5pm to 7pm local time (9pm to 11pm Nigerian time), under the watchful eyes of head coach Aliyu Zubairu and his backroom staff. The camp’s final drill sets the stage for the squad’s journey to Talca City, in southern Chile, where they will continue preparations for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Flying Eagles Head to Talca After Intense Camp and Injury Blow

The camp ended on a sombre note as central defender Marvellous Freedom was ruled out of the tournament after suffering a knee injury during training. Medical assessments confirmed he will not recover in time to feature. In a show of unity, teammates and coaches presented him with a signed No. 20 jersey during an emotional farewell. He is expected to return to Nigeria on Thursday.

Coach Zubairu has called up Wikki Tourist defender Haruna Aliyu as a replacement. Aliyu is scheduled to arrive in Chile on Friday and will join the squad directly in Talca. With the setback addressed, the Flying Eagles are now focused on fine-tuning tactics ahead of their opening match.

Author

Abdullahi Jimoh

Abdullahi Jimoh is a multimedia journalist and digital content creator with over a decade's experience in writing, communications, and marketing across Africa and the UK.