The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee has set a semifinal target for the Super Eagles ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with committee member and former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, describing the ambition as both “realistic and necessary.”
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Speaking on the team’s readiness and expectations, Ikpeba stressed that Nigeria must align its ambitions with its current state of transition. “Reaching the last four of the AFCON will be a realistic target for the Super Eagles,” he said. “We’re certainly not among the outright favourites to win the tournament, so we have to be honest with ourselves.”
The former Monaco forward highlighted that this AFCON should serve as a foundation for rebuilding a stronger national team.
According to him, adopting modest targets will help manage public expectations and relieve pressure on a squad still undergoing structural adjustments.
“We have to rebuild the Super Eagles from this AFCON, and as such our targets have to be modest,” Ikpeba explained, warning against the tendency to expect immediate success. “Putting unnecessary pressure on the players by demanding a title at all costs will not help the process.”
With the NFF’s technical committee focusing on gradual progress, the 2025 AFCON is expected to mark the beginning of a new strategic direction for Nigerian football as the team looks to rediscover consistency and competitiveness on the continental stage.
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