Benjamin Fredrick To Miss AFCON 2025 After Knee Injury Blow
1 min read
By Sportsgister
Nigeria has suffered a significant setback ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as young defender Benjamin Fredrick has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.
The 20-year-old sustained the injury during a training session with his Belgian Pro League club, FC Dender, forcing him out of action at a crucial period for both club and country. As a result, he was absent from Dender’s 2-1 league victory over Royal Antwerp last weekend.
Fredrick has been one of the standout performers for the Super Eagles in recent months, featuring in Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff matches against Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has also been a key figure under head coach Éric Chelle, starting the team’s last six matches and showcasing versatility across the backline.
Although the injury rules him out of AFCON 2025, early reports indicate that the defender is expected to make a full recovery and could return to action shortly after the tournament.
His absence, however, represents a major blow for the Super Eagles as Chelle now faces a defensive reshuffle ahead of the continental competition.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
