Nigeria’s U20 boys, the Flying Eagles, have stepped up their preparations for the FIFA U20 World Cup Chile 2025 with an intensive training session in Santiago on Wednesday evening.
The team, under the guidance of head coach Aliyu Zubair, trained for two hours at the Cancha Liga Training Pitch.
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The session came after a light recovery exercise earlier in the day at their base, Le Meridien Hotel, to help the players regain sharpness following their arrival in Chile.
The Flying Eagles will continue their build-up on Thursday before turning their focus to a high-profile friendly against hosts Chile U20 on Saturday, 20 September, at Estadio Nacional in Santiago.
The encounter will provide Zubair and his coaching staff with a good measure of the team’s progress as they face one of South America’s strongest youth sides.
Beyond the Chile game, the Flying Eagles will also test themselves against Australia U20 on Tuesday, 23 September.
The clash against the Oceania champions is expected to offer another stern examination of the team’s readiness for the challenges that lie ahead at the World Cup.
For Nigeria, these friendlies are about more than results.
They represent an opportunity for tactical refinement, team bonding, and individual assessments as Zubair works to finalize his squad list.
The coaching crew is also keen to expose the players to different styles of football, ensuring they are battle-ready for the global showpiece that kicks off later this year.
With the World Cup in sight, the Flying Eagles are determined to use their time in Santiago to build confidence, cohesion, and momentum.
Saturday’s encounter with Chile marks the first step in their bid to win the FIFA U20 World Cup for the first time.
