Former Nigeria international and respected football tactician, Duke Udi, has praised the Flying Eagles for securing a FIFA U-20 World Cup ticket Sports247 reports, despite falling short in their semifinal clash against South Africa at the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Udi, who represented Nigeria with distinction during his playing days, emphasized that the primary mission for the team was to qualify for the World Cup — a goal that was successfully achieved.
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“The World Cup ticket is the main achievement, and the boys delivered on that,” Udi stated. “They showed character throughout the tournament, even if the semifinal result was disappointing.”
However, the former midfield maestro did not shy away from offering constructive criticism.
He called on the Flying Eagles’ technical crew to return to the drawing board and make necessary adjustments before the global showpiece in September.
“Now is the time to re-strategize,” Udi added. “There are areas in the team that need strengthening, and I trust the coaches to address them. This is a promising squad, but fine-tuning is crucial.”
Udi also urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to provide strong institutional support for the team in the lead-up to the World Cup.
“They need all the backing they can get — proper preparation, logistics, and quality friendlies. If we get it right, this team can go far on the world stage,” he concluded.
The Flying Eagles will face host nation Egypt in the third-place playoff, looking to end their AFCON campaign on a high note before turning attention to the global stage.
