Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has returned to full training with Club Brugge, bringing an end to a 37-day spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury, Bold Sports reports.
The 24-year-old sustained the injury during Club Brugge’s dramatic 5-5 draw against Westerlo in September where he started but was forced off in the 16th minute, with young Serbian midfielder Aleksander Stankovic taking his place.
Since then, Onyedika has missed a series of crucial fixtures, including Belgian Pro League matches against Standard Liège, Union St. Gilloise, OH Leuven, and Royal Antwerp, as well as Champions League clashes with Atalanta and Bayern Munich. He was also absent from the 6-1 cup victory over Eendracht Aalst.
On the international scene, the midfielder was unavailable for Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying games against Lesotho and Benin Republic, both of which the Super Eagles won to keep their qualification hopes alive.
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Onyedika’s return comes at an important time for both club and country. He has been named in the squad list for Club Brugge’s league encounter against FCV Dender EH on Saturday, as the Belgian giants look to extend their six-game unbeaten run and close the gap on league leaders Union St. Gilloise.
His comeback also provides a major boost for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who is preparing his squad for the upcoming CAF World Cup playoffs clash against Gabon on November 13 at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah.
A win in that fixture would see Nigeria progress to the final playoff round, where they would face the winners between Cameroon and DR Congo for a chance to secure a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs.
With Onyedika regaining full fitness, Chelle will hope his presence adds strength and balance to Nigeria’s midfield as they aim to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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