Flying Eagles forward Sani Suleiman has declared that Nigeria’s U-20 team is not in Chile just to participate but to compete for honours, as the squad arrived in Talca ahead of their Group F campaign at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The two-time finalists touched down in Talca on Thursday afternoon after wrapping up a 12-day training camp in Santiago, where they held hosts Chile to a 1-1 draw and defeated Australia 3-1 in warm-up games.
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The squad is lodged at Hotel Diego de Almagro and immediately held their first training session at Estadio Fiscal de Talca, the venue for their group fixtures.
Suleiman, who plays for Slovakian club AS Trencin, said the players have set their sights on reaching the final and possibly lifting the trophy — a feat Nigeria has never achieved at this level. “We don’t want to come here just to play; we want to stay in this competition for as long as possible. Our target is the final, and if possible, to win it,” he said confidently.
The striker acknowledged the difficulty of Group F, which features Norway, Saudi Arabia and Colombia, but insisted the Flying Eagles are up for the challenge. “Every team here is strong, but we believe in ourselves, our preparation, and our coaches. We know what is at stake,” he added.
Nigeria will begin their campaign against Norway on Monday, 29th September at Estadio Fiscal de Talca before facing Saudi Arabia and Colombia. Suleiman stressed that self-belief and teamwork will be key to navigating the group.
“Since 2005, Nigeria hasn’t played in the final. We want to change that story. With the quality we have and the confidence we’ve built in Santiago, I believe we can achieve something special for our country,” he concluded.
