Super Eagles defender Benjamin Fredrick will miss the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a knee injury during training with Belgian side FCV Dender EH. The setback arrived on Friday and immediately ruled him out of Nigeria’s plans for the tournament. The 20-year-old had recently impressed after completing two demanding CAF World Cup play-off matches against Gabon and DR Congo.
Sports journalist Oluwashina Okeleji revealed the update on Tuesday through his X handle. He noted that the Brentford loanee picked up the injury in training and will return after the tournament. The rising defender had become a reliable option for coach Eric Chelle in recent months.
Benjamin Fredrick made his international debut on May 31, 2025 in a tight 2–2 friendly against Jamaica. Nigeria later secured a 5–4 win on penalties to lift the Unity Cup. Since that match, he started six straight games for the Super Eagles while playing both centre-back and right-back.
However, the injury arrives at a difficult moment for Nigeria. The young defender was expected to feature in the preliminary squad for AFCON 2025. His absence now forces Chelle to adjust his defensive plans ahead of the announcement.
The setback also affects FCV Dender, who currently sit at the bottom of the Belgian Pro League. Fredrick missed their last three matches against Royal Antwerp, Westerlo, and Standard Liege. He had made 14 league appearances this season and started 10 of them. His unavailability will push the club to explore defensive alternatives as they battle relegation.
Dender finally secured their first win of the season against Royal Antwerp, though Fredrick did not feature.
