With the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) kicking off on August 2 in Zanzibar, Super Eagles B stars Sola Adelani of Ikorodu City and Adedayo Olamilekan of Remo Stars have shared their excitement and determination to make Nigeria proud on the continental stage.
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For Adelani, earning a spot on the national team fulfils a lifelong dream.
“It’s a dream come true playing for Nigeria,” Adelani said. “The coach always says, ‘If you’re not a warrior, you can’t play football. On the field, you must be like a lion.’
“He tells me, ‘Sola, when you have the ball, take on your man one-on-one. Even if you lose it, it’s not a problem—just fight to win it back.’ That fearless approach has made us stronger as a team.”
The winger believes the squad is well-prepared despite early challenges in training.
“We’ve been working hard for the past few weeks. Yes, we’ve made mistakes, but the coach reminds us that’s part of football. We’ll keep improving, and when the tournament starts, we’ll be ready to fight for the championship.”
Olamilekan, a dynamic midfielder for Remo Stars, reflected on his journey marked by setbacks before his CHAN breakthrough.
“I was dropped from the U-17s and again from the U-23s, but now I’m here,” he said. “Coach Chelle believed in me and gave me this chance because of my performances at Remo Stars. He’s the toughest coach I’ve ever worked with—he demands intensity and aggressiveness every single day.”
On Nigeria’s ambitions for the tournament, Olamilekan added:
“We’ve talked as a team; we don’t want second or third place—we want gold. That’s our target, and I believe we’ll achieve it.”
The Super Eagles B are currently in Zanzibar for the second phase of their training camp, running from July 25 to 31, which includes warm-up matches against the Zanzibar national team. Nigeria has been drawn in Group D alongside Senegal, Sudan, and Congo.
