FIFA has confirmed the final squad of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles and other participating country heading to the U20 World Cup in Poland, Bestchoicesports.com.ng understands.

In a statement on Wednesday, FIFA said a total of 504 players have been called up by the 24 participating nations to follow in the footsteps of global stars such as Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba and countless others who first showed the world what they could do at this event.

“We can look forward to seeing top-class football, as the squads include names who are already performing at a very high level in some of the most competitive leagues around the world, and a few who have even played for their senior national teams,” said FIFA Deputy Secretary General Zvonimir Boban, who won the event in its former guise – the FIFA World Youth Championship – with Yugoslavia in 1987.

“I expect a wide-open race, with plenty of teams having a real shot at reaching the latter stages, which will make the competition even more exciting.

“Chile 1987 absolutely marked my career and I’m sure that the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2019 will do the same for a new generation of players. Poland will be fantastic hosts, as the Polish FA, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has been doing a tremendous job – led by its President, the football legend Zbigniew Boniek – to organise a great tournament with FIFA.”

The Flying Eagles will play their final preparatory match against Red Bull Leipzig in Germany on Friday.

Nigeria will fly out of Germany to Poland on 19th May for this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals.

The Flying Eagles are in Group D of the competition alongside Qatar, the United States and Ukraine.