Nigeria Midfielder Raphael Onyedika Suffers Hamstring Injury, Ruled Out for Six Weeks

Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika has been ruled out for up to six weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury in his side’s dramatic 5-5 draw with Westerlo on Wednesday night, TalkTalk Nigeria reports.

The 24-year-old Nigerian international pulled up early in the game and had to be helped off the pitch, raising immediate concerns for both club and country.

Onyedika’s absence is a major blow for the Super Eagles, as he will now miss the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Crocodiles of Lesotho and the Squirrels of Benin Republic next month.

Before the injury setback, Onyedika had been in fine form, making eight league appearances this season for Club Brugge and recently scoring in their emphatic 4-0 UEFA Champions League win over Monaco.

Opinion:

This is a painful blow for Nigeria at a crucial stage. Onyedika has steadily been proving himself as one of the country’s most reliable midfielders in Europe, combining defensive grit with attacking thrust. His goal against Monaco showed he isn’t just a workhorse—he can also make vital contributions in the final third.

For the Super Eagles, his absence will test the team’s depth in midfield. While Nigeria boasts talent in the middle—such as Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Frank Onyeka—Onyedika’s energy and versatility are unique assets. The timing could not be worse, given that World Cup qualifiers are games where slip-ups can prove costly.

For Club Brugge, losing a key player just as they battle on multiple fronts in domestic and European competitions is equally challenging. Six weeks might not sound long, but in football, it’s enough time to miss defining matches.

The silver lining, however, is that Onyedika is young and resilient. If his recovery goes smoothly, he should return stronger, and perhaps more motivated, to reclaim his place in both the Brugge midfield engine room and Nigeria’s national team setup.