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Bassey tipped for AFCON's best defender award
17 Jan
Summary
- Coach Chelle believes Calvin Bassey can be a world-class defender.
- Bassey has been a key player for Nigeria in the tournament.
- Nigeria faces Egypt for the third-place match.
Nigeria's head coach, Eric Chelle, has expressed strong confidence in defender Calvin Bassey, predicting he will secure the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) defender of the tournament award. Chelle believes Bassey possesses the potential to rank among the world's top three center-backs.
Bassey has been a vital presence for the Super Eagles, featuring in all six of their AFCON matches. However, he will miss the upcoming third-place playoff against Egypt due to a suspension resulting from two yellow cards received during the semi-final.
Chelle emphasized Bassey's significant growth, noting his leadership qualities and dedication to improvement both for the national team and his club. This encouragement aims to foster his development into an elite global defender, a journey Chelle is actively guiding.
