Nigeria U-20 defender Emmanuel Chukwu says he aspires to match—or even surpass—the quality of the Super Eagles’ backline from 2014.
Fresh off helping the Flying Eagles into the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations semi-finals, Emmanuel Chukwu recalled studying Nigeria’s narrow 2-3 defeat to Argentina at the 2014 FIFA World Cup as a formative lesson in defensive play.
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“I remember our game against Argentina. I watched the game as a young kid and I was very, very sad because Argentina beat us from behind with a dramatic late goal,” Chukwu said.
“I watched it because I’m a defender, and I learned a lot from the defence and their mistakes. I wanted to do much better than them for the national team.”
Chukwu singled out two members of that 2014 squad—centre-backs Kenneth Omeruo and William Troost-Ekong—as his personal heroes.
> “I mostly admire Troost-Ekong and Kenneth Omeruo. I take time to watch their games, both for the Super Eagles and at their clubs. I learn a lot from them.”
Determined to build on his own youth-level successes, Chukwu says he studies these professionals closely, applying their positioning, anticipation, and composure to his own game. With Nigeria one win away from a U-20 World Cup berth, Chukwu’s ambition mirrors his team’s: to honor the past while forging an even stronger future.
