Cyriel Dessers’ goal contributions in the UEL this season ahead of facing Jose Mourinho again question Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles snub for Nigeria’s 2026 WCQ squad.
Nigeria and ignored Super Eagles star Cyriel Dessers is stacking up numbers in the UEFA Europa League like a man with something to prove and maybe he does.
As Rangers gear up for tonight’s second-leg showdown with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce at Ibrox, the Nigerian striker’s stat sheet is screaming what Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle seems deaf to.
 "Dessers’ UEL hot streak mocks Super Eagles snub before second Mourinho clash 1")
Chidera Ejuke was not called up to Eric Chelle’s squad for Nigeria’s matches this month, but showed why he is called the next ‘Jay-Jay Okocha.’
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 "Dessers’ UEL hot streak mocks Super Eagles snub before second Mourinho clash 2")
Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho has praised Rangers star Cyriel Dessers for performing like the best player in the world.
With a 3-1 lead from the first leg, Dessers is primed to haunt Mourinho again and leave Nigeria’s selectors scratching their heads over his latest snub.
Pulse Sports Nigeria breaks it down ahead of the decisive second leg encounter at the magnificent Ibrox.
Dessers scored one and assisted another for Rangers against Mourinho in Turkey.
In the Europa League, Dessers has clocked 24 matches and 4 goals across his career, according to UEFA’s media. Solid, right?
But zoom in on this 2024/25 season, and it’s a different story: three goals and two assists in just nine appearances, six of them starts.
Fenerbahce’s Jose Mourinho said Dessers played like the best in the world in the first leg.
Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (Credit: Imago)
That’s a goal or assist every other game for the Nigerian, a hot streak that’s got Rangers dreaming of a quarterfinal spot.
Last week in Turkey, he was the thorn in Fenerbahce’s flesh, scoring once and teeing up another despite VAR nixing two more.
Cyriel Dessers against Fenerbahce | Imago
Now, with the second leg looming, the 30-year-old’s form is the kind of stuff coaches drool over, except, apparently, Chelle.
The Super Eagles’ new gaffer dropped a bombshell this week, leaving Dessers out of his 23-man squad for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Eric Chelle did not consider Dessers good enough for his team.
Nigeria’s languishing fifth in their group, desperate for firepower, and yet Chelle looked past a guy who’s notched 22 goals across all competitions this season—second only to Victor Osimhen among Nigerians in Europe.
Fans are livid. “ “The NFF is very unfair to Dessers! He’s currently our best no. 9 after Osimhen this season. Why was he left out?” one post fumed. “If no be rubbish Wetin Umar Sadiq dy find for the squad check Dessers and Sadiq stats,” another added as reported by Pulse Sports.
Cyriel Dessers has 22 goals across competitions but remains largely overlooked by Nigeria.
It’s a heartbreaking situation for the Belgian-born striker, who’s been overlooked before, but this one stings fresh.
Tonight, though, Dessers gets to answer back the only way he knows how, on the pitch. His UEL numbers tell a tale of clutch moments: including that dagger against Fenerbahce, and 2 assists that show he’s not just a poacher.
Cyriel Dessers scores for Rangers against Fenerbahce | Imago
Rangers need him to start and shine at Ibrox to seal the deal against Mourinho’s men, who’ll come out swinging.
If he adds to that tally, say, another goal or a crafty assist, it’s not just a win for the Gers; it’s a neon sign flashing “your loss” at Chelle ahead of Nigeria’s must-win qualifiers on March 21 and 25.
Dessers isn’t shouting about it, but his stats are. While the Super Eagles roll with Osimhen, Boniface, and Arokodare, their overlooked star is quietly building a case in Europe’s second tier.
Tonight’s clash isn’t just about a quarterfinal berth, it’s a chance for Cyriel to turn disappointment into defiance, one goal at a time. Chelle might not be watching, but the Ibrox crowd sure will be.
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