Chris Davies Explains Bright Osayi-Samuel’s Absence from Super Eagles World Cup Qualifiers

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has shed light on why Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel was omitted from the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic, NigeriaSoccernet.com can report.

Osayi-Samuel, who was originally named in Nigeria’s squad for the crucial doubleheader, was later withdrawn after failing to recover from a minor injury. Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Davies clarified that the 27-year-old was not fully fit to participate.

“He [Osayi-Samuel] was not really close; he just couldn’t get over that knock he had,” Davies explained. “It’s nothing serious, and we don’t expect it to keep him out for long, but he just wasn’t ready for these games.”

The versatile right-back, who has been an important figure for Birmingham this season, is expected to return to action once he completes his recovery in the coming weeks.