The technical director of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Augustine Eguavoen has sent out a charge to players in the country’s national team to ensure they win the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, so that they can restore pride to their country.
Sports247 reports that, with the Super Eagles appearing unlikely to qualify for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, ‘Egu’ admitted that their focus should quickly turn towards winning the upcoming AFCON.
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The Super Eagles’ former defender, captain and head coach reasoned, “The World Cup ticket 2026 is slipping out of our hands, but the 2025 Nations Cup is round the corner. So, I think we have to just prepare and try to see how we can win it, so that we can restore our pride.”
Sports247 gathered that the Eagles’ chances of qualifying for the 2026 Mundial are very slim, considering that they are currently third in their group and six points behind the leaders, South Africa.
Even if South Africa are deducted three points by FIFA for haven earlier fielded an inelligible player, they will still be three points ahead of Nigeria and just need to win their remaining two matches in order to pick the group’s lone ticket.
Incidentally, a deduction of three points from South Africa’s current haul will sink them level with Benin Republic, who would also be desperate to win their remaining two matches, the last of which will be away to Nigeria, thereby making the game explosive for both countries.
Eguavoen, who was fondly called ‘Cerezo’ during his playing days, has apparently given up hope of an automatic World Cup ticket or even a play-off route for the Eagles, as he pointed out that Nigeria’s attention should turn to the upcoming AFCON, which will start in December this year and end in January 2026.
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