Francis Uzoho has spoken of his joy after earning a surprise recall to Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, admitting the feeling of returning to international duty was “relieving” and deeply emotional.
The Omonia Nicosia goalkeeper, who last featured regularly for the Super Eagles before falling out of the picture, was named in Eric Chelle’s 28-man squad for Morocco following the omission of Maduka Okoye.
He will battle Stanley Nwabali and Amas Obasogie for the starting spot.
Uzoho set the tone for Nigeria’s preparations by becoming the first player to arrive at camp in Cairo, a moment he described with pride.
Speaking to Super Eagles media, the 27-year-old said he struggled to put his emotions into words after learning of his recall.
“I was filled with joy, a joy that I cannot actually express,” Uzoho said. “It was relieving to know that I’m coming back again to be with the boys and to represent Nigeria, which is the most important thing.”
The former Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper insisted he feels ready to answer the call if needed. “Anybody that is called up into the national team is ready. If you’re not ready, you won’t be called up,” he added. “So basically, I am ready. If the country needs me, I will be ready.”
Uzoho also revealed how much he missed the Super Eagles environment during his time away, pointing to the bond within the squad.
“I missed the boys and the vibe in camp. We’ve done quite a lot together,” he said, while stressing his close relationship with fellow goalkeepers Nwabali and Obasogie.
Nigeria opened camp with a small group of players in Cairo as preparations intensified ahead of their AFCON opener against Tanzania on December 23.
Tunisia and Uganda await later in the group stage as the Super Eagles chase a fourth continental title, their first since 2013.
